Meanings
plural gunnels
- alternativeAlternative spelling of gunwale.
- A small eel-shaped marine fish of the family Pholidae, especially Pholis gunnellus.
Synonyms: gunnel fish, butterfish, rock eel
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA small eel-shaped marine fish of the family Pholidae, especially Pholis gunnellus.
More synonyms by meaning
nounwale at the top of the side of boat; topmost planking of a wooden vessel
nounsmall eellike fishes common in shallow waters of the northern Atlantic
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishgonnewalle
- Englishgunnel
From Middle English gonnewalle, itself from gonne (“gun”) + wale, as it used to support the ship's guns; equivalent to gun + wale.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech mečitka
- mečitkafish of the family Pholidae
French gonnelle, gonelle
- gonnellefish of the family Pholidae
- gonellefish of the family Pholidae
Italian gunnel, gunnello
- gunnelfish of the family Pholidae
- gunnellofish of the family Pholidae
Polish ostropłetwiec
- ostropłetwiecfish of the family Pholidae
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with gunnel
All rhymes →Cite this entry
gunnel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gunnel
“gunnel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gunnel. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gunnel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gunnel.
Source: gunnel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.