What do you call this device that floats in the water at ports?

Question

I've seen lots of these, at ports, floating on the water:

I don't have a clue about what they are called.

On the basis of the top answer on a relevant Meta question I'm reopening this question. It's not obvious how to look up something if you don't know what it's called. — Andrew Leach, Oct 22, 2021 at 15:09

DjinTonic · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-22 10:38:44Z

7

light(ed) buoy

Images of lighted buoys

lighted buoy
Floating object used as beacon. Visual Dictionary illustration

light buoy

(Nautical) A buoy with a light on top which is lit at night to aid navigation. Wiki

buoy

A floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents. Wiki

answered Oct 22, 2021 at 10:26

DjinTonic

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4

And the bird resting atop of it is a gull. Buoys and gulls.
– Hot Licks
Oct 22, 2021 at 16:27
Encores aweigh!
– DjinTonic
Oct 22, 2021 at 16:33
The pronunciation can be tricky. Buoy has two syllables /bui/, but /ui/ is not a common diphthong in English and /bui/ becomes /boy/ very easily. There are any number of jokes that trade on this confusion.
– John Lawler
Oct 22, 2021 at 18:46
1

OED has Brit. /bɔɪ/, /bwɔɪ/, U.S./ˈbui/, /bɔɪ/
– DjinTonic
Oct 22, 2021 at 20:28
1

@JohnLawler - It has two syllables in American English. In Australian and British English it sounds much like "boy".
– nnnnnn
Oct 23, 2021 at 6:29

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