keel

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈkēl 

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

ˈkēld 

adjective

keelless

ˈkēl-ləs 

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

: red ocher

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• faint
• pass out

Noun (1)

• ship
• boat
• vessel

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

Verb

Canales said Young has stayed even keeled through his struggles, which has given Canales the confidence to continue giving him opportunities down the field. —Joseph Person, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

Labial scales: The vertical scales along the lips (jawline), often keeled and shaped distinctly, useful for differentiating rattlesnakes from similar species. —Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025

Noun

And while the Bills' season continues to unfold, Allen — who married Sinners star Hailee Steinfeld in the offseason — is making sure to keep an even keel. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025

The latter inform the entryway to the space while the keel shape appears at the rear of the store as an installation. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing keel

• bilge keel
• keel over
• on an even keel
• on even keel

Rhymes for keel

• beal
• chiel
• ciel
• creel
• deal
• diel
• eel
• feel
• feil
• heal
• heel
• kneel

Kids Definition

keel

1 of 2 noun

ˈkē(ə)l 

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

ˈkēl 

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

called also keel disease