The difference between Quay and Wharf

When used as nouns, quay means a stone or concrete structure on navigable water used for loading and unloading vessels, whereas wharf means a man-made landing place for ships on a shore or river bank.

When used as verbs, quay means to land or tie up at a quay or similar structure, especially used in the phrase "quay up", whereas wharf means to secure by a wharf.


check bellow for the other definitions of Quay and Wharf

  1. Quay as a noun (nautical):

    A stone or concrete structure on navigable water used for loading and unloading vessels; a wharf.

  1. Quay as a verb:

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

  1. Wharf as a noun:

    A man-made landing place for ships on a shore or river bank.

  2. Wharf as a noun:

    The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea.

  1. Wharf as a verb (transitive):

    To secure by a wharf.

  2. Wharf as a verb (transitive):

    To place on a wharf.