What does scull mean?
A scull is a small, light, open boat rowed with oars, and the word may also refer to one of the oars used to propel such a boat. As a verb, scull means to row or propel a boat, especially with a pair of oars. It is particularly common in rowing and recreational boating, where single sculls are narrow racing shells rowed by one person. Although scull can sound like skull, the words have different modern meanings: a skull is the hard structure enclosing the brain, while a scull belongs to the vocabulary of boats and oars. Older dictionaries also record scull as a variant of skull and as a verb meaning to kill, but these senses are now archaic or dialectal. In contemporary use, scull therefore evokes small-scale, often quiet rowing rather than the wider act of rowing a larger boat.
A small open boat propelled with oars; also, an oar used to propel a boat. In older or dialectal use, the word can also mean the skull.
"They crossed the river in a narrow rowing scull."
The oar and boat senses are standard nautical terms; the sense meaning 'skull' is archaic or dialectal.
To propel a boat by rowing, especially with sculls; formerly, to kill or slaughter.
"She sculled toward the far bank without splashing the oars."
The modern nautical sense is standard. The sense meaning 'to kill' is now archaic or strongly marked.
The standard plural is sculls, as in 'a pair of sculls' and 'single sculls'.
"The two sculls were lifted onto the rack beside the boathouse."
The word scull comes from Old Norse and originally referred to an oar before it came to denote the boat propelled by it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scull come from?
The word entered Middle English in forms such as sculle and skalle and was borrowed from Old Norse skúli, meaning 'oar'. It later developed the senses associated with small boats and the action of rowing. Related Germanic forms include Dutch schoeel and German Schüle, both meaning 'oar'.
Related word forms
How scull is actually used
The nautical senses are standard in British and American English. In rowing terminology, sculls are generally oars used in pairs, and sculling contrasts with sweep rowing, in which each rower handles one longer oar. The senses meaning 'skull' and 'kill' are now archaic or strongly marked in dialectal usage.
Easily confused with scull
A scull is a nautical boat or oar, whereas a skull is the bone structure of a person's or animal's head.