Where does “unkey” come from?

unkey (English) comes from English key, from English cay, from Spanish Cayo, from Taíno cayo — small island.

unkey (English): To stop transmitting on a two-way radio, etc

Definitions

  1. To stop transmitting on a two-way radio, etc

Ancestry of “unkey”, step by step

unkey traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English key

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkeyAn object designed to open and close a lock; An...
2EnglishcayA small, low island largely made of sand or coral
3SpanishCayokey island
4Taínocayosmall island

via English un

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunOne
Every word from Taíno cayo →Every word from Spanish Cayo →Every word from English cay →