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Definition of quay

quay

/kiː/
quay
Plural:quays
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quay Lexical Profile

quay Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A stone or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships.

Example

"Cargo vessels lined the bustling quay as dockworkers unloaded crates of imported fruit."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for quay

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite its spelling, "quay" is most commonly pronounced like "key" (/kiː/) in British and American English, though pronunciations rhyming with "day" (/keɪ/) or "whey" (/kweɪ/) are heard regionally. Unlike a pier, which projects outward into the water, a quay is typically built parallel to the shoreline.

• Rhymes for quay

• Nearby Words

quaver
quavering
quaveringly
quay
quayside
quba
queanbeyan

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old Northern French "cai" (originally spelled "key" or "kay" in English before being respelled after modern French "quai" in the 17th century), ultimately of Gaulish Celtic origin meaning "hedge" or "enclosure."

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Quay. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/quay
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