✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

hawsehole

noun

hawse·​hole ˈhȯz-ˌhōl How to pronounce hawsehole (audio)
: a hole in the bow of a ship through which a cable passes

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hawsehole was in 1664

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hawsehole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hawsehole. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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