Spanish word

cayo

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈkaʝo/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncay

Example

Visitamos un cayo este fin de semana.

We are visiting a cay this weekend.

Illustration for cayo (cay)

More examples

El cayo está formado por arena y coral.

The cay is made of sand and coral.

Core concept

Tiny reef-top isle of sand and coral.

Common phrases

  • ir al cayo

    go to the cay

  • visitar un cayo

    visit a cay

Similar words

isla: Land entirely surrounded by water, usually large enough to support settlements.
islote: Extremely small island or rock, generally too small for permanent residents.

Definition in Spanish

Pequeña masa insular, generalmente baja y arenosa o coralina, que aparece sobre un arrecife y es menor que una isla común.

Word origin

Derived from Taíno and taken into Spanish by seafarers, the term appears in English coastal place names as cay or Key.

Usage tips

  • Spanish cayo commonly occurs in Caribbean toponyms and is pronounced with stress on the first syllable (roughly KAH-yo), which helps distinguish it from unrelated words.

Opposites

Word lists with this word