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quay

quay

8 8.2
A raised path by the water where ships load and unload
  • noun
  • /ki/
translation icon : muelle
  • Final supplies are being carried aboard, supervised by two men on the quay.

corners and Quays to witness nature's once in a lifetime spectacle.

Examples

  • A small boy sat on the quay, trailing a fishing line in the water.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • So they made their way to the quay to see what vessels might be anchored in the harbor.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The boys down on the Low Quay know a hundred ways to sell bad fish.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • So I'll see you at the quay the day after tomorrow.

  • The men move across the quay toward the warehouse.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Today, the quay is lined with restaurants and shops.

    Academic text (2016)
  • There, it leads to a quay where our boat waits.

  • As the ferry pulled away from the quay, Paolo took one last look.

    Blog text (5)
  • There were haulage firms on the quay who had 30 and 40 wagons that used to ship the fish away.

  • The small boy sat on the quay, trailing a fishing line in the water.

Synonyms

dock
vsquay
197 1.6

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

is specifically a reinforced platform parallel to shore for loading ships
pier
vsquay
125 1.4

A long platform that goes out from the shore into the water for boats and people

is instead built mainly alongside the shore, not projecting on piles
landing
vsquay
57 2.6

A platform at the edge of the water where boats stop to let people or goods on and off

is larger and more permanent for handling heavier cargo
wharf
vsquay
36 6.7

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

is built mainly parallel to the shoreline for loading and unloading ships
wharfage
vsquay
  • Archaic
9.8

A platform that extends from the shore into the water where ships load and unload

is mainly a reinforced platform parallel to the shoreline for loading ships

How Big

harbor
  • US
460 1.8
quay
8 8.2
pier
125 1.4
jetty
10 5.1
landing stage
  • UK
1 5.2

Surface Forms

quay singular
quays plural

Etymology

Quay comes from an old French word kai meaning a 'wharf' or 'platform' by the water. It is pronounced like key, so a helpful way to remember quay is to picture a 'key' letting ships come in to load and unload, which is why quay means a place for loading and unloading ships.