noun pl. wharves or wharfs
- a structure of wood or stone, sometimes roofed over, built at the shore of a harbor, river, etc. for ships to lie alongside, as during loading or unloading; pier; dock
- Obsolete a bank at the water's edge; shore
Origin:
ME < OE hwerf, a dam or bank to keep out water, lit., a turning < base of hweorfan, to turn < IE base *kwerp-, to turn > Gr karpos, wrist