adj

grey

gray

adj

The color between black and white, as of storm clouds or ash; the standard British/Commonwealth spelling of "gray."

"The sky turned grey just before the rain started."

"He wore a smart grey suit to the interview."

noun

The color itself.

"The room was painted entirely in shades of grey."

verb

To become grey, especially of hair.

"His hair began to grey around the temples in his forties."

How to Use Grey

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe color grey — this spelling is standard in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and most Commonwealth countries.

UK vs US

"Grey" is standard in British English; American English generally prefers "gray." Both are pronounced the same and mean the same thing.

Easily confused with

gray →

Common pairings

grey hair grey area grey sky

Word Forms

greyer comparative, more grey comparative, greyed past tense, greys plural, Greys plural, greys singular, greyest superlative, most grey superlative

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Fill the Gap

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The sky turned _____ just before the rain started.

Etymology

From Old English grēg. The "grey" spelling comes from an older dialect form, while "gray" (the usual American spelling) comes from a slightly different Old English form — both mean the same thing.

Rhymes for grey

ey key hey bey dey ley fey ney Rey they joey whey

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