Where does “key” come from?

Key comes from Spanish cayo, from Taíno cayo, a word for a small island or reef.

key (English): An object designed to open and close a lock; An...

Definitions

  1. An object designed to open and close a lock; An...

Ancestry of “key”, step by step

key traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English cay

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcayA small, low island largely made of sand or coral
2SpanishCayokey island
3Taínocayosmall island

via Middle English keye

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishkeyeA key; a tool for opening locks
2Old Englishcǣġkey

Words derived from “key”

Every word from Taíno cayo →