Wharf

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʍɔː(ɹ)f/
• in accents with the wine-whine merger enPR: wô(r)f, IPA: /wɔː(ɹ)f/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)f

Origin

Middle English, from 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").

Full definition of wharf

Noun

1. A man-made landing place for ships on a shore or river bank.
• BancroftCommerce pushes its wharves into the sea.
• TennysonOut upon the wharfs they came,
  Knight and burgher, lord and dame.
2. The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea.
• Shakespearethe fat weed that roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf

Synonyms

• (landing place) dock; quay

Hyponyms

• (landing place) jetty; pier; staithe, staith Northern England

Derived terms

• wharfage
• wharfie
• wharf rat
• wharfinger