keye
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English cǣġ, from Proto-West Germanic *kaiju; the final vowel is from the Old English oblique cases.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkæi̯(ə)/
- (Northern) IPA(key): /ˈkeːj(ə)/, /ˈkeː(ə)/
Noun
- A key; a tool for opening locks.
- In various extended senses:
- In various figurative senses:
- Control, safety, or that which ensures it.
- A requirement or prerequisite.
- (rare) An explication; explanatory material.
References
- “keie, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Old French kay, cail.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛi̯/
Descendants
References
- “keie, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
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