Cays

/ˈkeɪz/ noun

Definition

Plural of cay; multiple small, low-lying islands or reefs, commonly found in tropical and Caribbean regions.

Etymology

English plural of 'cay' from Spanish 'cayo' (ultimately from Taíno). The '-s' follows standard English pluralization for geographic features.

Kelly Says

The Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Belize's cayes are exactly what the original Caribbean people called them—we're still using Taíno geography vocabulary five centuries later!

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