unkeeled
|un-keel-ed|
/ʌnˈkiːl/
(unkeel)
turn over; capsized
Etymology
'unkeeled' is formed from the negative prefix 'un-' + 'keel' (the central structural timber or fin of a boat). 'Keel' in English comes from Old English 'cēol' meaning 'ship' or 'keel'.
'keel' comes from Old English 'cēol' (also appearing as 'ceol' or 'cyel'), from which Middle English adopted forms like 'kel' or 'keel'; the prefix 'un-' is Old English 'un-' used to form opposites. Together they produced the verb 'unkeel' and the adjective 'unkeeled' in modern English.
Initially related specifically to the structural 'keel' of a boat or the action of upsetting a vessel, the term has also acquired a broader figurative sense of being unbalanced or overturned.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to upset or capsize (a vessel); to cause a boat to turn over.
A sudden gust of wind unkeeled the small fishing boat.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
capsized or overturned (used of a boat); lying on its side or upside down in the water.
The rescue team approached the unkeeled hull to look for survivors.
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Last updated: 2025/09/05 07:10