Wharf Has Two Accepted Plurals
A wharf is a structure where ships load and unload. It is one of few English nouns with two standard plurals.
A wharf is a level structure alongside water where ships load and unload. Both *wharfs* and *wharves* are standard, which is unusual — most English nouns ending in F have settled on one form. *Wharves* is more common in Britain and *wharfs* in America, but neither is wrong. English distinguishes the waterfront structures carefully: a *quay* runs parallel to the shore, a *pier* projects out into the water, and a *jetty* is smaller and often protects a harbour entrance.
- A loading structure. *The wharf.*
- Wharves or wharfs. *Both plurals.*
- Quay — parallel to shore. *A quay.*
- Pier — projecting outward. *A pier.*
- Old English — *hwearf*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | wharf | A wharf. |
| Plural | wharves | Wharves. |
| Plural | wharfs | Wharfs. |
| Related | quay | A quay. |
| Old English | hwearf | A bank. |
- The ship tied up at the wharf.Shipping.
- Both plurals are standard.Grammar.
- A pier projects into the water.Distinction.
Waterfront structures
- Wharf — a level platform for loading, along the water
- Quay — similar, running parallel to the shoreline
- Pier — projects outward from the shore
- Jetty — smaller, often protecting a harbour mouth
- Dock — the enclosed water where a ship sits, not the structure
Old English *hwearf*, a bank or shore, from a Germanic root meaning to turn.
Wharfs or wharves?
Both are standard. Wharves is more common in Britain, wharfs in America, and neither is considered an error.
What is the difference between a wharf and a pier?
A wharf runs along the shore for loading; a pier projects outward into the water.