A long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection.

ETYM French quai. Related to Key quay.
(Homonym: key).
A wharf (often made of stone), usually built parallel to the shoreline, where ships may be loaded and unloaded of their cargo.

ETYM AS. hwerf, hwearf, a returning, a change, from hweorfan to turn, turn about, go about.
(Irregular plural: wharfs or wharves).
A landing for docking and loading and unloading ships; SYN. wharfage, dock.