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noun C2 Proficient Common

hull

huhl

Hull (noun) means the main body of a ship, boat, or aircraft. Example: “Water was leaking into the ship through a crack in the hull.”

noun
1
The main body of a ship, boat, or aircraft.
"Water was leaking into the ship through a crack in the hull."
"The submarine's hull is built to withstand extreme pressure."
2
The outer covering of a seed, fruit, or nut.
"She removed the hulls from the strawberries before slicing them."
"Rice hulls are often used as animal bedding."
verb
1
To remove the outer covering from a seed or fruit.
"Hull the strawberries before adding them to the salad."
"It took her ten minutes to hull a whole basket of berries."

How to Use Hull

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe body of a boat, or the outer skin of a seed or fruit; as a verb, to strip that skin off.

Common pairings
hull a strawberry the ship's hull a cracked hull

Word Forms

hulled past tense, hulled past tense, hulls plural, hulls plural, Hulls plural, hulls singular, hulls singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Water was leaking into the ship through a crack in the _____.

Etymology

From Old English hulu, meaning the covering of a seed — related to words in other Germanic languages meaning "cover" or "wrap."

Origin: Old English

Related Words

Rhymes for hull

See all rhymes for hull →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “hull” mean?

The word “hull” means the main body of a ship, boat, or aircraft. In plain terms, the body of a boat, or the outer skin of a seed or fruit; as a verb, to strip that skin off.

How do you pronounce “hull”?

“Hull” is pronounced huhl (/hʌl/ in IPA).

How do you use “hull” in a sentence?

Here is “hull” used in a sentence: “Water was leaking into the ship through a crack in the hull.”

What part of speech is “hull”?

Depending on how it is used, “hull” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “hull” come from?

The word “hull” comes from Old English. From Old English hulu, meaning the covering of a seed — related to words in other Germanic languages meaning "cover" or "wrap.".

Is “hull” a common word?

“Hull” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.

How many meanings does “hull” have?

“Hull” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the main body of a ship, boat, or aircraft.

What is the difference between the hull and the deck of a ship?

The hull is the main body or outer shell of the ship — the watertight structure that sits in the water. The deck is the horizontal surface built on or within the hull that people stand and work on. In short, the hull is the container and the decks are its floors.

What is the difference between a hull and a husk?

Both are outer coverings of seeds or fruits. Husk usually refers to a dry or leafy covering, like the layers around an ear of corn, while hull is the general word for the outer shell of a seed, nut, or grain. For grains such as rice, the two words are often used interchangeably.

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