MEANING
The top rim of a boat’s side, often strengthened to support the hull’s edge.
Use it for
locating the top edge of a boat’s side; describing someone gripping the side of a small boat; showing water coming over the boat’s edgeNames the upper edge of a boat’s side rather than the rail, deck, or entire hull. Writing functions: Boat structure.
Words that belong together
- over the gunwale
- grip the gunwale
- the wooden gunwale
On the page
She gripped the gunwale as the dinghy rolled.
A wave spilled over the gunwale and soaked the bags.
Word forms
- Base
- gunwale
Usage notes
Countable noun: gunwale, gunwales. Variant gunnel has the same boat-edge meaning. Common pronunciation sounds like gunnel. Register: technical. Commonness: moderately common in nautical writing (dictionary-informed qualitative editorial estimate; not a measured frequency).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.