1. An indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
   "The coastal bay provided a natural harbour for ships";
   - embayment
    
2. A small recess opening off a larger room
   "She curled up with a book in the cosy bay by the window";
   - alcove
    
3. A horse of a moderate reddish-brown colour
   "The bay stallion was the pride of the stable"
    
4. A compartment on a ship between decks; often used as a hospital
   "they put him in the sick bay"
    
5. A compartment in an aircraft used for some specific purpose
   "he opened the bomb bay"
    
6. Small Mediterranean evergreen tree with small blackish berries and glossy aromatic leaves used for flavouring in cooking; also used by ancient Greeks to crown victors
   "She added fresh bay leaves to the soup";
   - true laurel, bay laurel, bay tree, Laurus nobilis
    
7. The sound of a hound on the scent
   "The hunter followed the bay of his hounds through the forest"
    
8. A brown colour, the colour of the coat of some horses
   "The bay stallion stood out among the other horses"

1. (used of animals especially a horse) of a moderate reddish-brown colour
   "The bay mare galloped across the field"

1. Bark with prolonged noises, of dogs
   "The hounds bayed at the full moon";
   - quest
    
2. Utter in deep prolonged tones
   "The crowd bayed for the politician's resignation"; "The wolves bayed in the distance"

Sounds like: bey

Derived forms: baying, bays, bayed

See also: colored [US], colorful [US], coloured [Brit, Cdn], colourful [Brit, Cdn]

Type of: bark, body of water, compartment, cry, Equus caballus, horse, hoss [US, informal], laurel, mouth, niche, recess, speak, talk, utter, verbalise [Brit], verbalize, water, woof

Part of: aircraft, genus Laurus, Laurus, sea, ship

Encyclopedia: Bay, Michael