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Glite Dictionary
Florida key

Florida key

1 4.7
A small low island of coral or limestone off the southern coast of Florida
  • noun
  • /flɔːrɪdə kiː/
  • US
: cayo de Florida
  • They spent their vacation exploring a remote Florida key by kayak.

I've got to go get to work on the Coast Guard boat, take some medicine and go down to the Florida Keys.

Examples

  • Each Florida key has its own unique ecosystem and charm.

  • The boat anchored near a Florida key, where the water was crystal clear and teeming with fish.

  • I visited a Florida key last summer.

  • Have you ever been to a Florida key?

  • The couple spent their vacation on a secluded Florida key surrounded by crystal clear waters.

  • Many tourists visit the Florida keys to enjoy snorkeling and the beautiful marine life.

  • The Florida key provided a serene escape for those looking to relax away from city life.

Synonyms

key
vsFlorida key
  • US
80 8.3

A small low island often with sand and surrounded by sea

is the specific island type of that southern coastal archipelago
cay
vsFlorida key
5 9.0

A small sandy island on a coral reef in warm seas

is specific to islands of that southern coastal archipelago, not general tropical reefs

Surface Forms

Florida key singular
Florida keys plural

Morphology

Florida + key

The meaning is directly compositional: 'Florida' (the place) + 'key' (a small coral or sandy island) yields an island located in Florida. This place-name + noun pattern is common and predictable cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand the MWE.

Etymology

Florida key comes from Spanish sailors who called small islands 'cayo', and English speakers heard that word as key. So a Florida key is a small, low island of coral or rock, which is why the term means one of the little islands in the Florida Keys.