Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

keel

verb (1)
\ ˈkēl How to pronounce keel (audio) \
keeled; keeling; keels

Definition of keel

 (Entry 1 of 5)

intransitive verb

1 : to fall in or as if in a faint —usually used with over keeled over from exhaustion
2 of a boat or ship : to heel or lean precariously

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 especially : an anatomical process forming a ridge : carina

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
: red ocher

Other Words from keel

Noun (1)

keeled \ ˈkēld How to pronounce keeled (audio) \ adjective
keelless \ ˈkēl-​ləs How to pronounce keelless (audio) \ adjective

First Known Use of keel

Verb (1)

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for keel

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English kele, from Old Norse kjǫlr; akin to Old English ceole throat, beak of a ship — more at glutton

Noun (2)

Middle English kele, from Middle Dutch kiel; akin to Old English cēol ship

Verb (2)

Middle English kelen, from Old English cēlan, from cōl cool

Noun (3)

Middle English (Scots) keyle

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about keel

Dictionary Entries near keel

keech

keek

keekwilee-house

keel

keelage

keelback

keelbill

Statistics for keel

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for keel

The first known use of keel was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for keel

keel

noun
\ ˈkēl How to pronounce keel (audio) \

Kids Definition of keel

: a long heavy piece of wood or metal that runs along and usually sticks out from the center of the bottom of a ship

keel

noun
\ ˈkēl How to pronounce keel (audio) \

Medical Definition of keel

: acute septicemic salmonellosis or paratyphoid of ducklings marked by sudden collapse and death of apparently healthy birds

— called also keel disease

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on keel

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with keel

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for keel

Spanish Central: Translation of keel

Nglish: Translation of keel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of keel for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about keel

Comments on keel

What made you want to look up keel? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

cogent

Listen to the pronounciation of cogent

appealing forcibly to the mind or reason

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Farm Idioms Quiz

  • cow coming home
  • What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games