hull

1 of 2

noun

ˈhəl 

1

a

: the outer covering of a fruit or seed

b

: the persistent calyx or involucre that subtends some fruits (such as a strawberry)

2

a

: the frame or body of a ship or boat exclusive of masts, yards, sails, and rigging

b

: the main body of a usually large or heavy craft or vehicle (such as an airship or tank)

3

: covering, casing

hull-less

ˈhəl-ləs 

adjective

hull

2 of 2

verb

hulled; hulling; hulls

transitive verb

: to remove the hulls of : shuck

huller noun

Synonyms

Noun

• armor
• capsule
• case
• casing
• cocoon
• cover
• covering
• encasement
• housing
• husk
• jacket
• pod
• sheath
• shell

Verb

• bark
• flay
• husk
• peel
• shell
• shuck
• skin

Examples of hull in a Sentence

Noun

the coffin was placed in a cement hull

Verb

hull the pinto beans before adding them

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The series’s green agenda goes beyond pushing the development of electric engines, high-output batteries and hydrofoils, which reduce drag in increase efficiency by lifting the boat’s hull out of the water. —J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 9 May 2024

The company has been under intense scrutiny ever since January, when an Alaska Airlines flight lost part of its hull, purportedly as a result of a manufacturing error. —Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 7 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English holle, hulle, going back to Old English hulu, apparently going back to a by-form (without umlaut) of Germanic *huljō (whence Old High German hulla "outer garment," Middle High German hülle), nominal derivative from *hulj-a- "to cover" (whence Old Saxon bihullean "to veil, conceal," Old High German hullan "to cover," Old Norse hylja "to hide, cover," Gothic huljan "to cover, veil"), going back to Indo-European *ḱl̥-i̯e-, present stem formed from the verbal base *ḱel- "cover, conceal" — more at conceal

Note: The sense "frame or body of a ship," first attested with certainty ca. 1424-25 in a Latin document, is apparently a figurative use of the sense "husk, pod"; cf. Bertil Sandahl, Middle English Sea Terms I. The Ship's Hull (Uppsala, 1951), pp. 194-95.

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hull

• hull down

Kids Definition

hull

1 of 2 noun

ˈhəl 

1

a

: the outer covering of a fruit or seed

b

: the remains of the flower that cling to the base of some fruits (as a strawberry)

2

: the frame or body of a ship, flying boat, or airship

hull

2 of 2 verb

: to remove the hulls of

hulling strawberries

hulled the corn kernels

huller noun

Geographical Definition

Hull

geographical name

ˈhəl 

1

or in full Kingston upon Hull

ˈkiŋ-stən 

city and port on the Humber River in eastern England population 242,200

2

former town in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on the Ottawa River

Note: Hull is now part of the town of Gatineau.

Biographical Definition

Hull 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

ˈhəl 

Cordell 1871–1955 American statesman; U.S. Secretary of State (1933–44)

Hull

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Isaac 1773–1843 American naval officer

Hull

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

Bobby 1939–2023 Robert Marvin Hull Canadian ice hockey player

Hull

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

William 1753–1825 American general