# bay

> English word · Noun · IPA /beɪ/ · frequency rank #1,889

## Definitions
1. A body of water (especially the sea) contained by a concave shoreline.
2. A bank or dam to keep back water.

## Etymology
From French baie, from Late Latin baia, probably ultimately from Iberian or Basque badia. Partly displaced native Old English byht, whence bight.

## Easily confused with
- **be** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-be)
- **by** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-by)
- **BC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bc)
- **bi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bi)
- **BS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bs)
- **bo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bo)
- **br** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-br)
- **Bt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bt)
- **BB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bb)
- **BP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bp)
- **bf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bf)
- **bd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bd)
- **BL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bl)
- **BM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bm)
- **bn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bn)
- **BG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bg)
- **BJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bj)
- **BW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bw)
- **BH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bh)
- **BX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bx)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bay