gunwale

noun

gun·​wale ˈgə-nᵊl How to pronounce gunwale (audio)
variants or less commonly gunnel
: the upper edge of a ship's or boat's side
Phrases
to the gunwales
: as fully as possible
The doorbell rang, and Flanagan let in his wife, who was loaded to the gunwales with groceries.Whitney Balliett

Examples of gunwale in a Sentence

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.
The same goes for the Arrow’s low gunwales when traversing the side decks—not ideal in big seas. Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2024 Nearly everywhere Wasserman went, stadiums were packed to the gunwales. Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 11 Aug. 2024 Marigolds line the gunwale of the boat with a pink and blue Sugar Skull painted on the stern. Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 15 Aug. 2024 The boatman circled cautiously, then winced when Wilson, the jujitsu champion, suddenly launched an aerial drone and banged on the boat’s gunwale to get the animals’ attention. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for gunwale 

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunwale was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near gunwale

Cite this Entry

“Gunwale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunwale. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gunwale

noun
gun·​wale
variants also gunnel
: the upper edge of a ship's side

More from Merriam-Webster on gunwale

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