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• quay
  quay

  noun

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

  noun

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

quay

¹ American  

[kee, key, kwey] / ki, keɪ, kweɪ /

noun

• quays
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• quaylike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• quays
  plural

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

Explanation

You know that wharf on the bank of the river where all the boats park? It's not an aqua parking lot. It's called a quay. When you visit France and take a walk beside the wharves where boats dock and unload passengers, you can say you've been strolling along the quays of the Seine. The English spelling of this word was originally key, and that's one way to pronounce it even today, an alternative to "qway." Quay comes from the Old North French cai, "sand bank."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quay Quay quays

At the port of Granadilla de Abona early Sunday morning, AFP journalists saw white tents had been sent up along the quay and the police had secured part of the port.

From Barron's ● May 10, 2026

Its rigorous order and deep perspective, enhanced by the receding lines of ship masts and rail tracks along the expansive quay, address his motif in a style apropos of its modern subject.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2026

The “Turenges” took a room in a hotel overlooking the harbor and discovered, to their surprise, an unguarded entrance that allowed them to observe the quay itself.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025

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 ● Jul. 11, 2025

A group of drüskelle stood on the quay, their uniforms soaked, their black hoods raised.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

It includes plans for 33 apartments within three-and-a-half storey buildings and the demolition of the existing building to the east of Rodger's Quay.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

A riverside path runs from the Dock Park out to Kingholm Quay.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

The Hythe Ferry, linking Hythe and Southampton Town Quay, was suspended in August 2024 after damage was found to its pontoon and supporting structure.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

He doesn’t even know how to treat the cops who are his new guards, amusingly portrayed as a comedy-act trio who finish one another’s sentences by Ethan Dubin, Katie Kreisler and Dave Quay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026

One telegram is addressed to Mrs. Clohessy of Arthur’s Quay and that couldn’t be anyone but Paddy’s mother.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

The wide wakes of tourist boats slap at the quays.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2024

In the nearby town of Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, trees had crashed onto quays and into the picturesque marina, and several boats were damaged.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2024

The strange-looking vessel had a deck that could be raised or lowered by winches to the level of the quays depending on the height of the tide.

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2023

The charred spars of sunken hulks sat in the shallows, forbidding access to the long stone quays.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin