quay

[kee, key, kwey] /ki, keɪ, kweɪ/

noun

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

Origin

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 key²

Related forms

quaylike, adjective

Can be confused

cay, key, quay.

Synonyms

pier, dock, landing, levee.

Quay

[kwey] /kweɪ/

noun

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

Examples from the web for quay

There was no sign of rock stars on the quay on this cold evening.
Another irresistible temptation was a mysterious cafe at the end of the quay.
We picked up weights and tanks from the hotel dive shop and did a test dive off the quay.
Slipped out and pocketed a toy that was running along the quay.
And a declining number of fishermen still tend their nets on weekends down by the quay.
Locate your departure quay by scanning the electric schedule signs in the station.
The village meanders along the road up from the harborside castle and quay.
Three teams of trained divers were brought in to install scour protection at the base of the new quay wall.
Castle quay is a shopping centre located in the centre of banbury.

British Dictionary definitions for quay

quay

/kiː/

noun

a wharf, typically one built parallel to the shoreline Compare pier (sense 1)

Word Origin

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

Word Origin and History for quay

1690s, variant of Middle English key, keye, caye "wharf" (c.1300; mid-13c. in place names), from Old North French cai (Old French chai, 12c., Modern French quai) "sand bank," from Gaulish caium (5c.), from Old Celtic *kagio- "to encompass, enclose" (cf. Welsh cae "fence, hedge," Cornish ke "hedge"), from PIE *kagh- "to catch, seize; wickerwork, fence" (see hedge (n.)). Spelling altered in English by influence of French quai.