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Glite Dictionary
can buoy

can buoy

8.4
A floating marker like a metal drum that shows a channel edge or danger in the water
  • noun
  • /kæn bɔɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : boya cilíndrica
  • A bright red can buoy floated nearby, indicating the safe navigation channel.

Examples

  • The sailor spotted a can buoy marking the entrance to the harbor.

  • The can buoy helped guide the boat through the treacherous waters at night.

  • Bobbing in the water: a can buoy.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

buoy
vscan buoy
  • Specialized
49 6.0

A floating object anchored in water that marks safe routes and hazards

is narrower, naming a marker with cylindrical body and flat or conical top
can
vscan buoy
  • Specialized
10 9.7

A floating sea marker with a round bottom and a cone top

has a cylindrical or slightly conical body and a flat or conical top

Surface Forms

can buoy singular
can buoys plural

Morphology

can + buoy

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound where 'can' specifies a subtype and 'buoy' denotes a floating navigational marker; the overall meaning is simply a buoy of the 'can' type. If a B1 learner knows both constituent meanings (including the nautical sense of 'can'), the compound meaning is directly derivable and follows common cross-linguistic naming patterns.

Etymology

The noun can buoy comes from its shape: sailors said the floating buoy looked like a large metal can, so it became a simple 'marker' on the water. That's why can buoy means a cylindrical floating marker that shows channels or hazards.