How to pronounce keel
Say it like KEEL. Keel is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce keel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KEEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Keel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KEELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of keel
American and British speakers say keel in essentially the same way: /kil/ in the US and /kiːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KEEL.
What does keel mean?
- A large beam along the underside of a ship’s hull from bow to stern.
- A rigid, flat piece of material anchored to the lowest part of the hull of a ship to give it greater control and stability.
- In a dirigible, a construction similar in form and use to a ship's keel; in an aeroplane, a fin or fixed surface employed to increase stability and to hold the machine to its course.
- A broad, flat vessel used for cooling liquids; a brewer's cooling vat; a keelfat.
- To collapse, to fall.“He keeled over after having a stroke.”
- To traverse with a keel; to navigate.
- To turn up the keel; to show the bottom.
Where does keel come from?
From Middle English kele, from Old Norse kjǫlr, itself from Proto-Germanic *keluz, of uncertain origin.
Words that rhyme with keel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of keel.
Questions about saying keel
How do you pronounce keel?
Say KEEL. The American pronunciation is /kil/. In British English it is /kiːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in keel?
Keel is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KEEL.
Do Americans and Brits say keel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kil/ and the British form is /kiːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.