fell

1 of 5

noun (1)

1
: skin, hide, pelt
2
: a thin tough membrane covering a carcass directly under the hide

fell

2 of 5

verb

felled; felling; fells

transitive verb

1
a
: to cut, knock, or bring down
fell a tree
b
: kill
Her father was felled by a heart attack.
2
: to sew (a seam) by folding one raw edge under the other and sewing flat on the wrong side
fellable adjective
feller noun

fell

3 of 5

past tense of fall

fell

4 of 5

adjective

1
b
: sinister, malevolent
a fell purpose
c
: very destructive : deadly
a fell disease
2
Scotland : sharp, pungent
fellness noun

fell

5 of 5

noun

dialectal British
: a high barren field or moor

Examples of fell in a Sentence

Verb using an ax to fell a tree He's strong enough to fell an ox. Adjective planning for the distribution of resources in case of some fell event war crimes committed by a fell and barbarous enemy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Peaks Hikers swarm the Lake District in the mass millions every year for its jaw-dropping 214 peaks (otherwise known as fells) and dramatic landscapes. Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 On the slopes above these pastures are groves of huge, mossy trees, and between the groves, sturdy stone walls climb straight up the fells and carve the mountainsides into great vertical paddocks. Steven Potter, Outside Online, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
The trees had already been felled and piled by the landowner; the log piles were initially slated to be burned to reduce the fire hazard. Syris Valentine, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2025 Grainier‘s an itinerant lumber man who worked the Pacific Northwest at the turn of the 20th century, felling timber and building railroads. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The former allows voters to honor four hip-hop stars in one fell swoop, but the latter might be a more attractive selection for those who prefer more heady rap tracks. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2025 For something more multifunctional, try this Bissell wet-dry vacuum that sucks up debris and washes floors in one fell swoop. Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fell

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German fel skin, Latin pellis

Verb

Middle English, from Old English fellan; akin to Old English feallan to fall — more at fall

Adjective

Middle English fel, from Anglo-French — more at felon

Noun

Middle English, from Old Norse fell, fjall mountain; akin to Old High German felis rock

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

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

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fell was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fell. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

fell

1 of 3 verb
1
a
: to cut, beat, or knock down
fell trees
2
: to sew (a seam) by folding one edge under the other

fell

2 of 3

past of fall entry 1

Etymology

Verb

Old English fellan "to knock down"

Adjective

Middle English fel "fierce, terrible," from early French fel (same meaning), from fel, felon "villain, evildoer" — related to felon

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