Definition of hay

The word "hay" is derived from the Old English word "haeg," which means "edge" or "boundary." This is because early farmers used to grow crops along the edges of their fields to provide feed for their livestock during the winter months. The crops that were grown for this purpose were often oats, barley, or rye, which could be harvested and dried in the sun to create a nutritious feed for the animals. The dried crop eventually came to be known as hay, from the Old English word "haeg," which also meant "boundary" or "pile" due to its stacked form. The word "hay" has remained virtually unchanged in English since the Middle Ages, with only minor spelling and pronunciation alterations over time.