Definition of 'quay'

COBUILD frequency band

quay

(kiː

)

Word forms: plural quays

countable noun

A quay is a long platform beside the sea or a river where boats can be tied up and loaded or unloaded.

Jack and Stephen were waiting for them on the quay.

Synonyms: dock, pier, landing, harbour More Synonyms of quay

British English pronunciation

It seems that your browser is blocking this video content.

To access it, add this site to the exceptions or modify your security settings, then refresh this page.

American English pronunciation

It seems that your browser is blocking this video content.

To access it, add this site to the exceptions or modify your security settings, then refresh this page.

quay in British English

(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

COBUILD frequency band

quay in American English

(ki , keɪ , kweɪ )

nounOrigin: ME kei < MFr cai < Celt (as in Welsh cae & Bret kai, enclosure) < IE base *kagh-, to enclose > hedge: E sp. infl. by Fr quai (OFr cai), of same orig.

a wharf, usually of concrete or stone, for use in loading and unloading ships

COBUILD frequency band

quay in American English

(ki, kei, kwei)

noun

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

SYNONYMS pier, dock, landing, levee.

Derived forms

quaylike

adjective

Word origin

[1690–1700; sp. var. (after F quai) of earlier kay (also key, whence the mod. pronunciation) ‹ OF kay, cay; akin to Sp cayo shoal. See key2]

Examples of 'quay' in a sentence
quay

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.

We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…

We embark via a lift that opens from the quay. None waved to the few photographers gathered on the quay.We catch fish from the quay. Neoclassical houses in shades of peach and apricot cling to the quay and climb up into the surrounding hills.But watching from the quay, a passing diesel smuggler picked it out easily. Residents on the other side of the harbour already complained about the noise from the fish quay, he added.There was no sound as she paused, glancing across the quay down river towards the broad estuary.The doorway of the restaurant was crowded with people who had watched the action on the quay.