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Added 9 October 2026

quay

/kiː/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about quay at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A stone or concrete structure on navigable water used for loading and unloading vessels; a wharf.
moor up against the quay

verb

To land or tie up at a quay or similar structure, especially used in the phrase "quay up".

adjective

Alternative spelling of qway (“far”).

adverb

Alternative spelling of qway (“far”).

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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