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Caique

4 stages from Ottoman Turkish to English.

Today it means a light traditional rowboat or small sailing vessel used in the eastern Mediterranean, especially around the Aegean and Bosphorus

Where does the word "caique" come from? It comes from Ottoman Turkish kayik, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1600s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
kayik
Ottoman Turkish · medieval
"rowboat"
from a Proto-Turkic root meaning "boat, oar"
2
Stage 2 of 4
caicco
Italian · 1500s
"small boat"
named the small trading and fishing boat as it appeared on the Adriatic
3
Stage 3 of 4
caique / caïque
French · 1600s
"light skiff"
spread the word through Mediterranean seafaring vocabulary
4
Stage 4 of 4
caique
English · 1600s
"small traditional sailing boat"
entered English describing small boats of the Aegean and Bosphorus
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