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pierhead

pierhead

6.6
The outer end of a pier where boats or ships stop
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪrˌhɛd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : extremo del muelle
  • Children waved to the ships as they approached the pierhead on the sunny afternoon.

Examples

  • Red is thus the logical choice for the daymark of portside pierhead lights on Lake Michigan.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The sailors carefully tied the boat at the pierhead to prepare for their departure.

  • There were also floating pierheads, with pontoons attached to vertical pillars that rose and fell with the tides.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The fisherman cast his net from the pierhead to catch the morning tide.

Synonyms

dock
vspierhead
197 1.6

A platform by the water where boats tie up to load or unload

is specifically the outer tip rather than a general platform for ships
wharf
vspierhead
36 6.7

A long platform by the water where ships stop to load and unload

is the seaward tip used mainly for docking not the alongshore platform
quay
vspierhead
8 8.2

A raised path by the water where ships load and unload

is the outer tip used for mooring rather than a parallel shore platform
dockside
vspierhead
7 3.4

An area next to a dock where boats are loaded or unloaded

is the outer tip rather than the general adjacent loading area
end-of-the-pier
vspierhead
  • UK
1 7.9

At the far end of a seaside pier that has simple shows, cafes and small attractions

is the outer tip used mainly for mooring boats
dockage
vspierhead
  • Specialized
7.8

A place in a harbor where ships stop for loading, unloading or repairs

is the specific outer tip rather than a harbour mooring spot

Surface Forms

pierhead singular
pierheads plural

Morphology

pierhead = pier + head (transparent) = pier + head

The meaning is a straightforward compound of 'pier' + 'head' meaning the head/top/end of a pier, easily inferable by learners.

Etymology

Pierhead comes from the parts pier and head, where pier is a platform that goes out into the water and head means 'end' or 'top'. So a pierhead is the outer end of a pier where boats dock and people watch the sea.