Aye

Pronunciation

• IPA: /eɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ
• sometimes proscribed

• Rhymes: -aɪ
• Homophones: ay, eye, I

From Middle English aye, ai, agg, from Old Norse ei, ey, from Proto-Germanic *ī́ui ‘ever, always’ (compare Old English ā, ō, Middle Dutch ie, German je), accusative of *aiwaz ‘age; law’ (compare Old English ǣ(w) ‘law’, West Frisian ieu ‘century’, Dutch eeuw ‘century’), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éi̯us ‘long time’ (compare Irish aois ‘age, period’,Breton oad ‘age, period’,Latin ævum ‘eternity’, Ancient Greek αἰών).

Full definition of aye

Adverb

1. (archaic) ever, always

Pronunciation

• IPA: /aɪ/
• Rhymes: -aɪ
• Homophones: ay, eye, I

Probably from use of aye as expression of agreement, or from Middle English a ye ("oh yes"). More at oh, yea.

Alternative forms

• ay

Interjection

1. yes; yea; a word expressing assent, or an affirmative answer to a question.

Usage notes

It is much used in Scottish English, the and of England, the northern counties of , North Wales, viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc., or in nautical contexts.

Synonyms

• yes
• yea

Antonyms

• nay
• no

Noun

1. An affirmative vote; one who votes in the affirmative."To call for the ayes and nays;" "The ayes have it."

Synonyms

• yes

Anagrams

• yea