quay
n. countablen. a long stone or metal platform built along the edge of the water. It is used for loading and unloading ships.
n. a stone or metal structure constructed parallel to the shoreline for the mooring, loading, and unloading of vessels.
The ship is docked at the quay.
Fishermen gathered on the quay early in the morning to unload their daily catch from the boats.
The historic quay, once a bustling hub of international commerce, has been transformed into a pedestrian promenade lined with upscale restaurants and galleries.
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”).
Often used with the preposition 'at' or 'on'.