Etymology
The word wharf comes from the Old English hwearf, meaning "bank" or "shore", and its plural is either wharfs or wharves; collectively a group of these is referred to as a wharfing or wharfage. "Wharfage" also refers to a fee ports impose on ships against the amount of cargo handled there.
In the northeast and east of England the term staithe or staith (from the Norse for landing stage) is also used. For example Dunston Staiths in Gateshead and Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk. However, the term staithe may also be used to refer only to loading chutes or ramps used for bulk commodities like coal in loading ships and barges. It has been suggested that wharf actually is an acronym for ware-house at river front,but it is actually a backronym created by Thames river boat guides.
Another explanation may be that the word wharf comes from the Dutch word "werf" which means "yard", an outdoor place where work is done, like a shipyard or a lumberyard.
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