What does sculled mean?
“Sculled” means to propel a boat by pulling sculls or oars through the water. It is the past tense and past participle of “scull.” In formal rowing terminology, sculling specifically describes a boat propelled with two oars, one handled by each rower, as distinct from sweep rowing, in which each rower uses a single longer oar. More generally, the word can describe travelling across the water in a small oared boat. It occurs in both British and American English and is associated with rowing, recreation, and traditional transport. The related noun “scull” can mean either one of the oars used in sculling or, in some contexts, a small boat propelled by oars. “Sculled” sounds much like “skulled,” but the two words have unrelated meanings.
verbTo propel a boat using sculls or oars, especially by pulling them through the water in a rowing motion. It can also mean to move or travel through the water in a small boat.
- To propel a boat by pulling sculls or oars through the water.
- To travel or move across the water in a small boat propelled by oars.
"She sculled the boat across the quiet lake."
"He sculled alone across the river before dawn."
"The students sculled the shells toward the boathouse."
One sculler needs just two oars, but each one is still doing the work of a pair.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sculled come from?
The verb comes from “scull,” meaning a small oar used to propel a boat; the noun is found in Middle English, though its ultimate origin is uncertain. The word also developed a related meaning for a small boat propelled by oars. Modern rowing terminology uses “scull” and “sculling” specifically for a boat or rower using two oars.
Related word forms
How sculled is actually used
In rowing terminology, sculling specifically refers to propulsion using two oars, one in each hand. The word is also used more generally for moving a boat with oars.
Easily confused with sculled
“Sculled” is the past tense of “scull,” meaning to propel a boat, while “skull” is the hard bone structure of a person's head.