A dock or wharf where ships are loaded and unloaded; a platform built along a waterfront.
From Old French 'quai' (wharf), possibly from Celtic roots. The word entered English in the 1300s from Norman French. The spelling keeps the 'qu' even though it's pronounced 'kee,' making it one of English's oddest spelling quirks.
The pronunciation of 'quay' is totally weird—it's pronounced 'key' not 'kway,' which confuses everyone! This is because the spelling is from French but English pronunciation rules changed centuries ago. It's like a time capsule of medieval English pronunciation.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.