Etymology

islay

I1S1L1A1Y4

Today it means: Prunus ilicifolia, a traditional Native American food plant in southern California. Full definition →

Spanish islay
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islay · noun1

  1. Spanish · borrowed fromislay
  2. English todayislay

Borrowed from Spanish islay.

Islay · proper noun2

  1. Scottish Gaelic · derived fromÌle
  2. English todayIslay

Derived from Scottish Gaelic Ìle, but probably ultimately of non-Indo-European (substrate) origin, along with other uncertain names in Scotland such as Skye, Lewis, and Arran. Watson (1926) hinted that a Proto-Brythonic/Proto-Celtic root connected to Gaulish *ilio (“flank, buttock”) or Welsh ilio (“to ferment”) might be behind the name. The silent s in this word, as in island, is due to an unetymological association with isle.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.