wharf

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Translations 1.4 See also

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Middle English < Old English hwearf (“‘heap, embankment, wharf’”); related to Old English hweorfan (“‘to turn’”), Old Saxon hwarf, Old High German hwarb (“‘a turn’”), hwerban (“‘to turn’”), Old Norse hvarf (“‘circle’”), Greek καρπός (“‘wrist’”).

The fact that wharves often have warehouses next to them for storing offloaded goods has led to the popular etymology that ‘wharf’ is an acronym of 'warehouse at river front'; however this is incorrect.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʍɔː(ɹ)f/, SAMPA: /WO:(r))f/
• (in accents with the wine-whine merger) enPR: wô(r)f, IPA: /wɔː(r)f/, SAMPA: /wO:(r)f/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)f

[edit] Noun

wharf (plural wharves or wharfs)

1. A man-made landing place jutting out to sea or by a river; mole, pier, or quay

[edit] Synonyms

• jetty
• pier
• quay
• staithe, staith (Northern England)

[edit] Derived terms

• wharfie
• wharf rat
• wharfinger

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

• dock