What’s the plural of “wharf”?
Both wharfs and wharves are accepted plurals of wharf.
What’s the singular of wharf?
It’s just wharf.
What’s a wharf/wharfs?
The dictionary defines the word wharf as:
An area like a wide wall built near the edge of the sea or a river where ships can be tied and goods can be taken off them: “The crates were unloaded onto the wharf.“
Other irregular plural nouns (f-/-fe suffixes)
Wharf belongs to the category of irregular plural nouns that end in the sibilant -f/fe. See the following chart of irregular plural nouns ending in -f/-fe, and convert to -ves as a plural (for the most part):
Nouns that end in f/fe use ves as a plural. By Gflex on Canva.
Aside from being irregular plural noun forms, these words all have Germanic/PIE (Proto-Indo-European) origin. These words have Germanic roots, which is likely why they all behave the same from the singular case to plural.
Practice using the verb in different tenses with example sentences to memorize the correct forms.
Examples of wharf used in context
The following sentences show the correct use of the word wharf in context. Sentence examples of wharf are from yourdictionary.com, wharf:
1. Its name is kept in a wharf and a ward of the City.
2. Franklin arrived in Philadelphia on the 13th of September, disembarking at the same wharf as when he had first entered the city.
3. A wharf for building and repairing iron steamers was constructed in 1889.
4. A large wharf was built on the bay next to the shipbuilding facility.
Examples of wharves/wharfs used in application:
The following sentences show the correct use of the plural noun, wharves/wharfs in sentences:
1. On the wharves, in the car plants and wool stores, the oil stores, meat works and factories, students could get plenty of labouring jobs.
2. These fish prefer shallow water and are commonly found in bays around eelgrass, oil platforms, pilings of wharfs and piers, and in back waters.
3. Until last year, the port’s wharfs were only intended to accommodate bulk cargo which was not transported in containers.
4. Across the Maritimes, scores of wharves are being left to crumble, as the power of the sea exerts its inexorable force.
5. Up to c. 1700, Britain’s ports had been largely natural coastal or riverside sites, sometimes with quays and wharfs for lading, and beaching vessels at low tide.
Synonyms for wharf
- dock
- harbor
- port
- pier
- landing
- berth
- jetty
- levee
- quay
Origin of the word wharf
From etymology online on wharf (n.):
“Late Old English hwearf “shore, bank where ships can tie up,” earlier “dam, embankment,” from Proto-Germanic *hwarfaz.”
What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
Sources
- Origin of wharf.
- Definition of wharf.
- Synonyms of wharf/wharfs/wharves.
- Sentence examples, wharf.
Worksheet
According to the blog post, what are the accepted plural forms of “wharf”?
Is “wharves” the only correct plural form of “wharf” according to the blog post?
What is the singular form of the noun “wharf”?
The blog post categorizes “wharf” as an irregular plural noun ending in which suffixes?
For many irregular plural nouns ending in -f/-fe, what is the common plural ending mentioned in the blog post?
The crates were unloaded onto the .
Franklin arrived disembarking at the same as when he had first entered the city.
Across the Maritimes, scores of are being left to crumble.
On the , in the car plants and wool stores, students could get plenty of labouring jobs.
Fish are commonly found in bays around eelgrass, oil platforms, pilings of and piers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the plural of wharf?
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Is “wharf” an irregular plural?
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What does the word wharf mean?
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How is the singular form “wharf” used?
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How are the plurals “wharves/wharfs” used?
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Yash, D. "What’s the Plural of Wharf?." Grammarflex, Jun 5, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-plural-of-wharf/.
