Have you ever wondered how to pronounce quay? Here’s a quick lesson to help you out!
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How to say Quay
Quay is pronounced as “key.”
Pronunciation
Quay is pronounced “key.” The word comes from the Old French word quai, which means “pier” or “wharf.”
Meaning
A quay /ˈkiː/ is a solid, raised structure on the edge of a water body used for docking boats or loading and unloading cargo. A quay is generally built for berthing vessels out of the water. It may be either temporary or permanent, and constructed of any solid material that can withstand occasional exposure to water. The term is widely used in Europe and other countries around the world, including Canada and the United States, where spelling varies with pronunciation.
How to say Quay in different languages
There are many different ways to say Quay, depending on what language you are speaking. In English, it is pronounced like “key”. However, in French it is pronounced more like “kay”. Other languages have different pronunciations for Quay as well.
French
Quay is a French word that can be pronounced in several different ways, depending on the region. In France, it is typically pronounced as “kei” or “kay”. In Quebec, Canada, it is pronounced as “kway”. In other parts of the world, it may be pronounced differently.
Spanish
The word “quay” is pronounced differently in different languages. In Spanish, it is pronounced “kay”.
German
In German, the word “Quay” is pronounced as “kvai”.
Quay origin
Quay is a variants of the name key. The name quay comes from the old French quai, which itself is derived from the Latin word meaning key, keystone, or beam. Quay is also a type of wharf or jetty where ships are loaded and unloaded.
Etymology
The word quay has three different possible origins:
The first is that it comes from the Old French word quai, meaning “embankment” or “shore.” This is the most likely source, as the word entered English in the Middle Ages.
The second possibility is that it comes from the Latin word quaesita, meaning “raised way” or “causeway.” This is less likely, as the Latin word would have been spelled differently in English.
The third possibility is that it comes from the Celtic words for “stone” or “rock,” which would be pronounced something like “kwy” in Welsh or Scottish Gaelic. This is the least likely source, as the word doesn’t show up in English until after the Romans left Britain.
