gunnel
gunnel Lexical Profile
gunnel Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The upper edge of the side of a boat or ship; an alternative spelling of gunwale.
"Water splashed heavily over the gunnel as the small skiff crested the steep, choppy wave."
A small, eel-like marine fish of the family Pholidae, typically found in the coastal waters and tide pools of the Northern Hemisphere.
"While exploring the rocky tide pools, the marine biology students spotted a small green gunnel darting beneath the seaweed."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term is most frequently encountered as a phonetic spelling of 'gunwale' (the edge of a boat), though it also distinctly refers to a family of small, eel-like marine fishes.
• Rhymes for gunnel
Word Origin & Etymology
As a nautical term, it is a phonetic spelling of 'gunwale' (from 'gun' + 'wale', originally referring to a plank supporting a ship's guns). As a fish, the origin is uncertain, possibly of local dialectal derivation.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.