Cayes
/ˈkiːz/noun
Plural of caye, meaning small, low islands or coral reefs, especially in the Caribbean.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Taíno, an Indigenous Caribbean language encountered by Spanish explorers, making “cayes” a linguistic trace of pre-colonial Caribbean culture.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-16th Century
Taíno
kayo
“Island or reef; an Indigenous Caribbean term used for low coastal islands.”
16th Century
Spanish
cayo
“Small island, reef, or low island in the Caribbean.”
17th Century
English
cay
“A small, low island, especially one formed from coral or sand.”
18th–19th Century
English
caye
“A variant spelling of cay, common in Caribbean place-names and geographical writing.”
Modern English
English
cayes
“Plural of caye; small Caribbean islands or reefs.”