Nay
/neɪ/noun
An archaic or dialectal word meaning no; used to express refusal or denial.
Did you know?Nay is the old sibling of yes: it comes from the same ancient Indo-European system of affirmation and negation that also gave English no and not.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ne
“a negative particle meaning “not” or “no””
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*ne
“negative particle used in denial”
Old English
OE
nā
“no; not at all”
Middle English
ME
nay
“no; refusal; denial”
Modern English
English
nay
“an archaic or dialectal word for no”