A structure built out into the water where ships are loaded, unloaded, or tied up. It can also mean an enclosed area of water where ships are repaired or stored.
From Middle Dutch 'docke' or Middle Low German 'docke', meaning 'watercourse' or 'ship's place'. The word entered English through seafaring and trade along the North Sea. Over time, its meaning narrowed to the specific structures and basins used for ships.
Try Another Word