schuylkill
schuylkill Lexical Profile
• noun
American A river in southeastern Pennsylvania, United States, that flows approximately 135 miles southeast to join the Delaware River at Philadelphia.
"Rowing teams can often be seen practicing on the Schuylkill early in the morning."
American A local shorthand name for the Schuylkill Expressway (part of Interstate 76), a major freeway serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
"We were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Schuylkill for over an hour."
Word Nuance & Usage
Frequently mispronounced by non-locals, 'Schuylkill' is pronounced 'SKOOL-kill' and is almost exclusively used as a proper noun regarding Pennsylvania geography.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named by 17th-century Dutch explorers from 'schuilen' (to hide) and 'kil' (creek or stream), referring to its hidden confluence with the Delaware River behind League Island.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.