• IPA: /ˈɡeɪ.nəs/

gayness (uncountable)

1. (rare, dated, uncountable) The state of being gay colorful or festive; display or dressiness.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene 3], page 87 ↗, column 1:

     Let me ſpeak prowdly: Tell the Conſtable, ⁠/ We are but Warriors for the working-day: / Our Gayneſſe and our Gilt are all beſmyrcht / With raynie Marching in the painefull field.

2. (rare, dated, countable) The state of being gay cheerful; gaiety.
3. (uncountable) The state of being gay homosexual; homosexuality.

   Synonyms: homosexuality, queerness

   hyponyms en

   • 2015, E. Reltso, Our Sex Saturated Society

     Their goal was to compel open legal recognition of their beliefs about sex and gayness as being the law in the United States.