keye

Middle English

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English cǣġ, from Proto-West Germanic *kaiju; the final vowel is from the Old English oblique cases.

Alternative forms

• kai, kay, kaye, keie, keiȝe, key, keyȝe, kye
• cæȝe, kæie (Early Middle English)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæi̯(ə)/
• IPA^(key): /kɛi̯/, /kɛ̞ː/ (Northern)

Noun

keye (plural keyes or keyen)

1. A key; a tool for opening locks.
2. In various extended senses:
   1. (architecture) A protrusion at the apex of a vault.
   2. (music, rare) A musical sound; a note or tone.
   3. (nautical, rare) A rudder (device for steering a ship)
3. In various figurative senses:
   1. Control, safety, or that which ensures it.
   2. A requirement or prerequisite.
   3. (rare) An explication; explanatory material.

Descendants

• English: key
• Scots: key, kee, kye

References

• “keie, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old French kay, cail.

Alternative forms

• caye, kaye

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kæi̯/

Noun

keye (plural keyes)

1. quay

Descendants

• English: quay, cay (obsolete)
  • → Bulgarian: кей (kej)
  • → Macedonian: кеј (kej)
  • → Scottish Gaelic: cidhe
  • → Serbo-Croatian: кеј, kej
• Yola: kie

References

• “keie, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Zazaki

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kɛˈjɛ]
• Hyphenation: ke‧ye

Noun

keye m

1. house