Word
quay
US/ˈkeɪ/
UK/kˈiː/
Definitions
01a stone wharf
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical
n. a stone or concrete platform built along the water where ships stop to load or unload things.
n. a stone or concrete structure built parallel to the shore of a navigable waterway for the purpose of mooring vessels and handling cargo.
“The fishermen unloaded their daily catch onto the stone quay as the sun rose.”
“The historic quay was reinforced with modern concrete to accommodate the heavy machinery required for unloading international container ships.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'on' or 'at'.
Pitfall
The ship arrived at the kway.
The ship arrived at the quay.
The word is pronounced like 'key', but the spelling is 'quay'.
02to tie up a ship
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
v. to bring a ship to a stone platform and tie it up there.
v. to land or moor a vessel at a quay; frequently occurs in the phrasal form 'quay up'.
“The captain managed to quay the large vessel despite the strong winds.”
“The pilot was instructed to quay up at the northern terminal to avoid interfering with the departing passenger ferries.”
Usage
Commonly used as a transitive verb or as part of the phrasal verb 'quay up'.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Stone-built structures such as docks, quays and breakwaters give us important clues, but they do not always reveal the full picture.” “Further on at the village of Morston, I saw it advertised for sale outside a house in the road that leads down to the quay.” Etymology
The current spelling replaced the spelling key in the 1690s to emulate the spelling but (at least originally) not the pronunciation of the equivalent modern French quai. From Middle English kay, key, kaye, keye, from Old French kay, cail, from Gaulish kagyum, cagiíun (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“field”)), from Proto-Indo-European *kagʰyóm (“enclosure”). Doublet of hedge and hey (“choreographic figure”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/quay