gunnel

1 of 3

noun (1)

gun·​nel

less common spelling of gunwale

: the upper edge of a ship's or boat's side

gunnel

2 of 3

noun (2)

gun·​nel ˈgə-nᵊl 

: a small slimy eellike bony fish (Pholis gunnellus) of the North Atlantic

broadly : any fish of the family (Pholidae) to which the gunnel belongs

gunwale

3 of 3

noun (3)

gun·​wale ˈgə-nᵊl 

variants or less commonly gunnel

: the upper edge of a ship's or boat's side

see also:

to the gunwales

Examples of gunnel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Captain Brett posed the rats for photographs, propping their heads playfully over the gunnel. — Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025

My line went taut, and then the rig danced down the gunnel like a sewing machine needle toward the motor. — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 10 June 2023

Noun

By afternoon, the wind had built waves big enough to surf, occasionally breaking over the gunwale. — John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026

Although the video does include a rig that involves drilling a mast beam (or thwart) into the canoe’s upper hull edge ( or gunwales), there is also a route that instead uses clamps. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

origin unknown

Noun (3)

Middle English gonne-wale, from gonne gun + wale entry 1; from its former use as a support for guns

First Known Use

Noun (2)

1740, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gunnel

• bunnell
• funnel
• tunnel
• fentanyl
• multifunctional