noun
quay
kee
noun
1
A stone or concrete platform built along water where boats load and unload.
"Fishermen unloaded their catch at the quay."
"They strolled along the quay watching the boats come in."
How to Use Quay
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dock or wharf where ships tie up to load and unload.
Common mistake
Quay and key are pronounced the same in most dialects, which causes frequent spelling mix-ups.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
quayed past tense, quays plural, quays singular
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Fishermen unloaded their catch at the _____.
Etymology
From Middle English key, ultimately from a Gaulish word meaning "enclosure." The modern spelling was changed to match French quai.