keel

1 of 5

verb (1)

keeled; keeling; keels

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

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
a
: 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
keeled adjective
keelless adjective

keel

3 of 5

noun (2)

: a flat-bottomed barge used especially on the Tyne to carry coal

keel

4 of 5

verb (2)

keeled; keeling; keels
chiefly dialectal
: cool

keel

5 of 5

noun (3)

chiefly dialectal

Examples of keel in a Sentence

Verb (1) I swear I'll keel over if you make me dissect a frog Noun (1) for a few days at least, the Titanic was the largest and grandest keel afloat
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.
Noun
Additionally, doors and hatches should have been closed, and the keel should have been lowered to increase stability, among other safety measures, Costantino declared. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 5 Sep. 2024 An endangered female basking shark was near the surface of the water off the coast of Ireland in April when the keel of a boat cut across her back. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 26 July 2024
Verb
Meditation is something that really keeps me even keeled. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2023 Throughout the ups and downs for the Chicago Bulls this season, coach Billy Donovan has tried to keep his demeanor even keel for the most part. Jamal Collier, chicagotribune.com, 20 Mar. 2021 See all Example Sentences for keel 

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near keel

Cite this Entry

“Keel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keel. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

keel

1 of 2 noun
1
: a timber or plate that runs lengthwise along the center of the bottom of a ship and usually sticks out from the bottom
2
: something (as the breastbone of a bird or the lower two petals of a pea flower) that is like a ship's keel in form or use

keel

2 of 2 verb
: to turn (a ship or boat) over

Medical Definition

keel

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

called also keel disease

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