cay

[ key, kee ]

/ keɪ, ki /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cay ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a small low island; key.

RELATED WORDS

islet, isle, ait

Nearby words

caxias, caxias do sul, caxton, caxton, william, caxtonian, cay, cayce, cayenne, cayenne pepper, cayes, cayey

Origin of cay

1700–10; < Spanish cayo; see key²

Can be confusedcay key quay

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cay

El efecto dijo, que oy Dios su oracion: pues mejorando el Rey, cay mala la Reyna.
History of The Reign of Philip The Second King of Spain|William H. Prescott
Ang casayoran niana mao nga dili acó bu-ut magsulti canimo, cay bacacon ca man.
English-Bisaya Grammar|Various
An' Sist' Humphreys, some way she git dem jailer-men be so kin' an' tender to 'im, lak I cayn't noways tell.
Stories That End Well|Octave Thanet
No, Son, every island and cay in the West Indies has treasure on it, if we believe the natives.
The Radio Detectives Under the Sea|A. Hyatt Verrill

They ran around every cay and island within sight, but not a sign of that blessed packet.
The Radio Detectives Under the Sea|A. Hyatt Verrill

British Dictionary definitions for cay

cay

/ (keɪ, kiː) /

noun

a small low island or bank composed of sand and coral fragments, esp in the Caribbean areaAlso called: key

Word Origin for cay

C18: from Spanish cayo, probably from Old French quai quay

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for cay

cay

"low island," 1707, from Spanish cayo; see key (n.2).

Science definitions for cay

cay

[ kē, kā ]

A small, low island composed largely of coral or sand. Also called key