kell

K5E1L1L1
/kɛl/

noun

The caul (membrane)

Less commonScrabble 8
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

kell1

nounkell (plural kells)

plural kells

  1. obsoleteThe caul (membrane)
  2. figurativelyobsoleteThat which covers or envelops, like a caul; a net; a fold; a film.

    I'll have him cut to the kell.

    c. 1608–1610, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “Philaster: Or, Love Lies a Bleeding”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act V, scene iv
  3. obsoleteThe cocoon or chrysalis of an insect.

    Bury himself in every silkworm's kell

    1616, Ben Jonson, The Devil Is an Ass

kell2

nounkell (plural kells)

plural kells

  1. obsoleteA kiln.

    Kell-drying

    1557 February 13 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie, London: […] Richard Tottel, →OCLC

kell3

nounkell (uncountable)
  1. alternativeuncountableAlternative spelling of kale (“broth”).

Kell4

proper nounKell (plural Kells)

plural Kells · alternative Kel

  1. A surname.
  2. A female given name, clipping of Kelly.

Origin

Compare caul.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with kell

wellhotellsellcelltelleldelpersonneldellNFLshellfellexcelMichellegeldlmotelspellsmellrebelbellemelmichel
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

kell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kell

MLA

“kell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kell. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kell,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kell.

Source: kell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.