wharf

Meanings

Noun

• A man-made landing place for ships on a shore or river bank.
• The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea.

Verb

• To secure by a wharf.
• To place on a wharf.

Related

Similar words

• dock; quay

Narrower meaning words

• jetty; pier; staithe, staith

Origin

• From Middle English wharf, from Old English hwearf ("heap, embankment, wharf"); related to Old English hweorfan ("to turn"), Old Saxon hwerf (whence German Werft), Dutch werf, Old High German hwarb ("a turn"), hwerban, Old Norse hvarf ("circle"), and Ancient Greek καρπός ("wrist").