cay

cay
/kay, kee/, n.
a small low island; key.
[1700-10; < Sp cayo; see KEY2]

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also spelled  Key,  

      small, low island, usually sandy, situated on a coral reef platform. Such islands are commonly referred to as keys in Florida and parts of the Caribbean. Sand cays are usually built on the edge of the coral platform, opposite the direction from which the prevailing winds blow. Debris broken from the reef is swept across the platform at high tide but is prevented from washing over the edge by waves produced by the refraction and convergence of waves around the platform itself. The accumulation of sand may at first move around but gradually will become stabilized as beach rock (sand and debris cemented at water level by precipitated calcium carbonate) is formed and the tiny island becomes vegetated. The sand is generally built to 1 1/2 to 3 metres (5 to 10 feet) above the high-tide level, although the wind may raise dunes somewhat higher. A cay is often elongated perpendicular to the prevailing winds, but its shape may change considerably with deposition in calm weather and erosion during storms. Even fairly large cays are vulnerable to complete destruction by severe hurricanes or typhoons. Occasionally sand cays may have a rampart of coarse material on the windward side, just beyond a shallow lagoon filled with mangroves. In some cases cays or ramparts that consist of chunks of dead coral and other debris may form on the windward edge of the coral reef platform.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cay — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. CAY, sigle composé des trois lettres C, A et Y est un code, qui signifie : Îles Caïmans, selon la liste des codes pays du CIO, Aéroport international …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Cay — Cay, n. See {Key}, a ledge. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cay — (voz guaraní de or. expresivo; Arg.) m. *Mono capuchino. * * * cay. (De or. guar.). m. Arg. y Par. mono capuchino …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Çay — is a town and a district of Afyonkarahisar Province in the Aegean region of Turkey …   Wikipedia

  • Cay [1] — Cay (spr. ké), amerikan. Benennung von Rissen, die wenig über dem Meeresspiegel auftauchen; häufig im Golf von Mexiko …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Cay [2] — Cay, s. Rollschwanzaffe …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Cay-Da — Cay Da, s. Bruguiera …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Cay — Cay, s. Rollschwanzaffe …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • cay — [ki:, keı] n [Date: 1600 1700; : Spanish; Origin: cayo] AmE a very small low island formed of ↑coral or sand …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cay — low island, 1707, see KEY (Cf. key) (2) …   Etymology dictionary

  • cay — (De or. guar.). m. Arg. y Par. mono capuchino …   Diccionario de la lengua española

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