What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Hey vs Hay - What's the difference?

hey | hay |

Hay is a alternative form of hey.



As nouns the difference between hey and hay

is that hey is a choreographic figure in which the dancers weave between one another while hay is grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder.

As an interjection hey

is an exclamation to get attention.

As a verb hay is

to cut grasses or herb plants for use as animal fodder.

hey

English

Alternative forms

* (l) * (l)

Interjection

(en interjection)
  • An exclamation to get attention.
    • Hey , look at this!
  • A protest or reprimand.
    • Hey ! Stop that!
  • An expression of surprise.
    • Hey ! This is new!
  • (US, Australia, UK, Canada) An informal greeting, similar to hi.
    • Hey ! How's it going?
  • A request for repetition or explanation; an expression of confusion (see also eh, huh).
    • Hey ? How's that?
  • A meaningless beat marker or extra, filler syllable in song lyrics.
    • The chorus is "nana na na, nana na na hey hey hey, goodbye".

    Related terms

    * heyday * what the hey * hey up

    See also

    * huh * hay is for horses * (wikipedia "hey")

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (country dancing) A choreographic figure in which the dancers weave between one another.

    • Anagrams

    * ----

    hay

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Noun

  • (uncountable) Grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder.
  • * Camden
    • Make hay while the sun shines.
  • * C. L. Flint
    • Hay may be dried too much as well as too little.
  • (countable) Any mix of green leafy plants used for fodder.
  • (slang) Cannabis; marijuana.
  • * 1947 , William Burroughs, letter, 19 Feb 1947:
    • I would like some of that hay . Enclose $20.
  • A net set around the haunt of an animal, especially a rabbit.
    • (Rowe)
  • (obsolete) A hedge.
  • (obsolete) A circular country dance.
    • to dance the hay
    Derived terms
    * hay fever * hayloft, hay loft * haystack * hayward * hit the hay * make hay while the sun shines
    External links
    * (wikipedia)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cut grasses or herb plants for use as animal fodder.
  • To lay snares for rabbits.
    • (Huloet)

    Related terms

    * bale * straw

    References

    Webster's Online Dictionary article on hay

    Etymology 2

    : From the sound it represents, by analogy with other letters such as kay'' and ''gay''. The expected form in English if the ''h'' had survived in the Latin name of the letter "h", ''h? .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The name of the letter for the h sound in Pitman shorthand.
    • Related terms
    * aitch, the name of the Latin letter for this sound

    Anagrams

    * * * ----