gunwale

or gun·nel

[ guhn-l ]

noun

, Nautical.

1. the upper edge of the side or bulwark of a vessel.
2. the sheer strake of a wooden vessel; the uppermost strake beneath the plank-sheer.

gunwale

/ ˈɡʌnəl /

noun

1. nautical the top of the side of a boat or the topmost plank of a wooden vessel
2. full to the gunwales
   completely full; full to overflowing

Word History and Origins

Origin of gunwale¹

1325–75; Middle English. See gun ¹, wale ¹; a plank so called because guns were set upon it

Example Sentences

From the very beginning, they were, she writes, “rubbing down the hatches and the gunwales with sandpaper, our hands becoming dry and coarse themselves. It was horrible work.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Even if you’re car camping. Like, when I’ve been car camping, my car’s just loaded to the gunwales. I don’t want a cookbook.”

From Washington Times

If your fishing or sporting boat has no canopy, consider Tuuci’s Shade Blade, which can be mounted in a chair stanchion or aft gunwale, and stores away in a carry bag.

From Seattle Times

At first he thought that the pale, constant glow indicated a submerged ridge, but a weighted line the crew dropped over the gunwale sank for 600 feet without hitting bottom.

From Scientific American

The boat is outfitted for a long haul, stuffed with bags containing electronics and reading matter and camping gear and annotated area maps, its lone paddle tethered securely to a gunwale.

From New York Times