quay

¹ American  

[kee, key, kwey] / ki, keɪ, kweɪ /

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

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Quay ² American  

[kwey] / kweɪ /

noun

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

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quay British  

/ kiː /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• quaylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of quay

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

Example Sentences

Boats can dock at wharfs, quays and piers protected by the reef's natural lagoon.

From The Wall Street Journal

"If I never went for the checks, I don't think I would be here today. So it was a real godsend for them to come down to the quay."

From BBC

The terminal operator International Transportation Service plans to fill in a 19-acre area of water and extend the existing quay by 560 feet, which would allow larger ships to dock at the port.

From Los Angeles Times

Patricia Page, owner of a pest and rodent control business in the north west, said it appeared a large colony had set up home on the quay, adding it is a real "cause for concern".

From BBC

He would order “bottles of white wine at the former bar L’Alexandre” before “getting drunk at Rosebud” and “hanging out on the quays with the second-hand booksellers or the Shakespeare and Company bookstore.”

From Los Angeles Times