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quay

You know that wharf on the bank of the river where all the boats park? It's not an aqua parking lot. It's called a quay.

Don't be fooled by the "qu" at the beginning of quay — there's no "w" sound to be found. It's actually pronounced "kay." That's most likely because it comes to us from the Old French word cai, and that's how the French pronounce their "qu" words. So sit back, make a hard "k" sound and imagine yourself strolling along the quays of the Seine.

DEFINITIONS OF: quay

1

n wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline

Type of:
dock, pier, wharf, wharfage
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
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