quay

¹

[ kee, key, kwey ]

noun

1. a landing place, especially one of solid masonry, constructed along the edge of a body of water; wharf.

   Synonyms: levee, landing, dock, pier

Quay

²

[ kwey ]

noun

1. Matthew Stanley, 1833–1904, U.S. politician: senator 1887–99, 1901–4.

quay

/ kiː /

noun

1. a wharf, typically one built parallel to the shoreline Compare pier

Other Words From

• quaylike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quay¹

1690–1700; spelling variant (after French quai ) of earlier kay (also key, whence the modern pronunciation) < Old French kay, cay; akin to Spanish cayo shoal. See key ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of quay¹

C14 keye, from Old French kai, of Celtic origin; compare Cornish kē hedge, fence, Old Breton cai fence

Example Sentences

With two blasts of its horn, MV Hebridean Isles bade farewell as it left the quay at Stornoway for a final time on Sunday, bound for Glasgow before it goes to the breakers.

From BBC

On the stone quays of the Seine, even the most passionate odes to the river’s charms tend to arrive at the same conclusion: Nope.

From Los Angeles Times

Currently the 26 July ceremony is supposed to take place on boats in the river Seine, with more than 300,000 people watching from the quays.

From BBC

While attempting to leave the port of Antwerp, Belgium in 2016 the ship scraped its stern along the quay damaging the hull.

From BBC

The car appeared to have driven off the quay on Thursday at the Akershusstranda, an area where ships dock at the foot of the Norwegian capital Oslo’s picturesque medieval fortress and castle.

From Seattle Times