Etymograph

English

ay

Ay comes from Middle English ei.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ei1
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1559ay1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English ay
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1559, Lucius, The Preface to the Tragedye: “And ſuch as yet, coulde neuer weapon wꝛeſt, /…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eiWiktionary, English ay
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1559ayWiktionary, English ay. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1559, Lucius, The Preface to the Tragedye: “And ſuch as yet, coulde neuer weapon wꝛeſt, /…”

The story

From Middle English ei, ej, ey, eye, ultimately imitative of the natural utterance, although probably also influenced by Anglo-Norman and Old French ahi, Old French haï, and Middle French aï, aïe, ay.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Middle English ei

ey

Today it means

intj Ah! alas! Expressing anger, alarm, frustration, pain, etc.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “ay”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Middle English ei / ay

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