A pathway or passage that is merry and pleasant; a joyful route or thoroughfare (archaic).
Compound of 'gay' (meaning bright, cheerful, and carefree from Old French 'gai') and 'way' (from Old English 'weg'); represents an older usage of 'gay' before its modern meanings developed.
The word 'gay' has shifted meanings so dramatically that 'gayway' has almost disappeared from English—it once meant 'happy path' but modern speakers would only think of contemporary meanings, showing how quickly word associations can change in a culture.
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