Etymology

Partly from Middle Dutch boeye ‎(“life buoy”); and partly continuing Middle French boue(e) ‎(“a flotation signaling danger”), from Old French boue, buie ‎(“a piece of wood or cork floating above an anchor to indicate where it is wet”), from Frankish *baukan, from the same Proto-Germanic source. Akin to Old High German bouhhan ‎(“beacon”), Old Saxon bōkan ‎(“signal”), Old Frisian bāken ‎(“signal”), Old English bēacen ‎(“sign, signal”). More at beacon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bwe/