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
When a mother tree is felled, the survival rate of many of its seedlings may be drastically reduced, a process not unlike the reciprocal feedback loop of Yggdrasill, whose deterioration in response to discord in the nine realms spells cosmic collapse. Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025 There are also beautifully observed moments toward the end with Dorotea and Riccardo; and a moving reckoning with death when Mariano’s favorite horse, a stallion named Elvis, is felled by illness and the president refuses to end his suffering by having the animal put to sleep. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Italian seasoning is a floral medley of a variety of herbs and adds fantastic flavor in one fell swoop. Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025 Though small in stature, Duiker Island serves as one of Cape Town’s crown jewels for ecotourism, showcasing the stunning beauty of the Atlantic and the African continent all in one fell swoop. Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on fell

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!