Meanings
plural keelsons
- nauticalA longitudinal beam fastened on top of the keel of a vessel for strength and stiffness.First known use c. 1611
With regard to materials, all the frames should be of oak and so should the stem piece, stern post, upper portion of dead woods, knight heads, apron, beams, shelf clamp, bilge strakes, and keelson; the keel will generally be found to be either English or American elm.
1884, Dixon Kemp, A Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing (Fourth Edition), page 13
Origin
- Old Norsekjǫlr
- Low Germankielswîn
- Middle Englishkelswayn
- Englishkeelson
Late Middle English kelswayn, from Low German kielswîn, kielswīn, from kiel (“keel of a ship”) (from Old Norse kjǫlr) + swin (“swine”), used as the name of a timber (however, compare sill). Compare with Dutch kolzwijn, kolsem, Low German, kielswîn, German Kielschwein, Danish kølsvin, kölsvin, all with the same meaning.
More words from Middle English, Low German, Old Norse
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan carlinga
- carlingakeel beam
Danish kølsvin
- kølsvinkeel beam
Dutch weger
- wegerkeel beam
Finnish sikopalkki, kelsi
- sikopalkkikeel beam
- kelsikeel beam
French carlingue
- carlinguekeel beam
German Kielschwein
- Kielschweinkeel beam
Hebrew שִׁדְרוֹן
- שִׁדְרוֹן (shidron)keel beam
Italian falsachiglia
- falsachigliakeel beam
Polish nadstępka, kilson
- nadstępkakeel beam
- kilsonkeel beam
Portuguese sobrequilha
- sobrequilhakeel beam
Russian кильсо́н
- кильсо́н (kilʹsón)keel beam
Spanish sobrequilla
- sobrequillakeel beam
Swedish kölsvin
- kölsvinkeel beam
Welsh celsan
- celsankeel beam
Cite this entry
keelson. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keelson
“keelson.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keelson. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keelson,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keelson.
Source: keelson on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.