noun
cay
KAY/kˈeɪ/
A low island or reef made of sand or coral.
The sandy cay rises just above the shallow turquoise water.
Etymology
Taino cayo meant a small island. The English word names a more specific island type: a low accumulation of sand or coral.
More examples
- We paddle to a small cay for lunch.
- Sea turtles nest on the cay's sandy shore.
- Several low cays dot the water beyond the reef.
Forms
cay · cays
Similar words
- islet
- Any small island, not necessarily low or sandy.
- key
- Another term for a cay, especially around Florida and the Caribbean.