A small, low-lying island or reef, especially in the Caribbean or tropical regions.
From Spanish 'cayo' (small island, reef), which likely originated from Taíno (indigenous Caribbean language) 'cayos.' The word traveled through colonial trade routes and became standard English for Caribbean geography.
The Bahamas, the Florida Keys, and Belize are dotted with cays—these tiny islands are exactly what the original Taíno people called them, so we still use their word even though they're largely gone!
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