Why is quay pronounced key?

A: “Key” and “cay” are just different spellings of the same 17th-century word for a small, low island, especially in the Caribbean or off the coast of Florida. “Quay” was originally pronounced KEE, and that’s still the preferred pronunciation (it was once spelled “key”).

What does the word quay mean in English?

Definition of quay : a structure built parallel to the bank of a waterway for use as a landing place.

What does quay mean in Spanish?

muelle
Español. quay n. (mooring place for boats) muelle nm.

Is quay a word?

Yes, quay is in the scrabble dictionary.

What is say Kway not quay?

Many Americans have a tendency to pronounce words the way they see them spelled. Just as many Americans insist on restoring to the word “palm” the L sound it lost centuries ago because that is how it is spelled, many Americans pronounce “quay” as “Kway” because that is the pronunciation the spelling would suggest.

What is QWAY not Kway?

Quay is traditionally pronounced as ‘key’ in Australia, as in Circular Quay it is pronounced “Circular Key”. “kway” is an americanisation added later. Wharves were built on the southern shore.

What is the difference between a wharf and a quay?

A quay is a platform constructed using concrete, stone, or metal along a riverbank or coastline to allow ships to dock parallel to the shore. A wharf is also a structure constructed by the river or sea to provide a safe area for boats to dock.

What nationality is quay?

French: topographic name for someone who lived in a house on a quayside, from Old French quai ‘quay’. …

What does Quay mean in French?

French Translation. quai. More French words for quay. le quai noun. dock, wharf, platform, track, street.

Are cays and keys the same?

A cay is a naturally occurring low island, either a sandbar or a coral reef. Key also may refer to a naturally occurring low island, either a sandbar or a coral reef. Key is most often applied to Caribbean islands. Key also comes from the Spanish word, cayo, which means key.

What does the word Quay mean?

The definition of a quay is a wharf or platform built into the water and used to load or unload ships or other sea vessels. A concrete or stone dock for loading boats is an example of a quay.

What is the origin of the word Quay?

Early Origins of the Quay family. The surname Quay was first found in Sutherland (Gaelic: Cataibh), a former county in northern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Highland, where early records show that Gilcrest M’Ay, forefather of the MacKay family of Ugadale, made a payment to the constable of Tarbert in 1326.

What is an antonym for Quay?

quay | definition: wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline | synonyms: pier, wharfage, dock, wharf| antonyms: undock, exit

What is plural of Quay?

The Plural of Quay. The plural of quay is quays . Smaller and more modern quays are sometimes built on flotation devices. The noun quay adheres to the standard rules for forming the plurals of nouns in English (shown in the table below). (There are no rules for this – you have to know.)…