dowel

[ dou-uhl ]

noun

1. Also called dowel pin. Carpentry. a pin, usually round, fitting into holes in two adjacent pieces to prevent their slipping or to align them.
2. a piece of wood driven into a hole drilled in a masonry wall to receive nails, as for fastening woodwork.
3. a round wooden rod of relatively small diameter.
4. Dentistry. a peg, usually of metal, set into the root canal of a natural tooth to give additional support to an artificial crown.

verb (used with object)

, dow·eled, dow·el·ing or (especially British) dow·elled, dow·el·ling.

1. to reinforce or furnish with a dowel or dowels.

dowel

/ ˈdaʊəl /

noun

1. a wooden or metal peg that fits into two corresponding holes to join two adjacent parts Also calleddowel pin

Other Words From

• un·doweled especially British, un·dowelled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dowel¹

1300–50; Middle English dowle < Middle Low German dovel plug; compare German Döbel, Dübel, Old High German tubili

Word History and Origins

Origin of dowel¹

C14: from Middle Low German dövel plug, from Old High German tubili; related to Greek thuphos wedge

Example Sentences

The advantage of this cradle is obvious, preventing as it does any tendency of the partly-formed dowel to slip or wobble.

From Project Gutenberg

The template is put on the ends of the straight pole, and the dowel centres are pricked into the wood.

From Project Gutenberg

Fig. 192 shows a completed dowel with a small groove running along its entire length.

From Project Gutenberg

Fig. 209 shows the top portion of a table leg and a home-made dowel gauge.

From Project Gutenberg

When it sounds best, glue the dowel in place and allow it to dry before sawing it off and cutting the slanting part.

From Project Gutenberg