keeled; keeling; keels
Definition of keel
(Entry 1 of 5)
1
: to fall in or as if in a faint
—usually used with over keeled over from exhaustion
keel
noun (1)Definition of keel (Entry 2 of 5)
1a
: the chief structural member of a boat or ship that extends longitudinally along the center of its bottom and that often projects from the bottom
also
: this projection
b
: ship
2
: a projection suggesting the keel of a boat or ship: such as
a
: an anatomical process forming a ridge (as on the sternum of a bird) : carina sense 1
b
botany
: the lower part of a papilionaceous flower (as of a pea or bean plant) that consists of two fused petals, lies between the wings (see wing sense 2e(2)), and encloses the pistil and stamens
The keel, the lowest petal of the pea-like flower, is short and rounded.— Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roose
keel
noun (2)Definition of keel (Entry 3 of 5)
: a flat-bottomed barge used especially on the Tyne to carry coal
keel
verb (2)
keeled; keeling; keels
Definition of keel (Entry 4 of 5)
chiefly dialectal
: cool
keel
noun (3)Definition of keel (Entry 5 of 5)
chiefly dialectal
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
The Exceptions Quiz III
-
- Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share keel
Time Traveler for keel
The first known use of keel was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century