English word origin

Etymology of scull

From Middle English sculle (“a type of oar”), of uncertain origin, possibly from North Germanic, from Old Norse skola (“to rinse, wash”).

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

verb

To row a boat using a scull or sculls. · To skate while keeping both feet in contact with the ground or ice.

noun

A single oar mounted at the stern of a boat and moved from side to side to propel the boat forward. · One of a pair of oars handled by a single rower. · A small rowing boat, for one person. · A light rowing boat used for racing by one, two, or four rowers, each operating two oars (sculls), one in each hand.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English sculle (“a type of oar”), of uncertain origin, possibly from North Germanic, from Old Norse skola (“to rinse, wash”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionsculleenm
Derivation mentionskolanon

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Archaic spelling of skull. · A skull cap. A small bowl-shaped helmet, without visor or bever.

verb

To drink the entire contents of a drinking vessel without pausing.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

See skull. The verb sense may derive from Danish/Norwegian/Swedish skål.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Derivation mentionskålsv

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

A shoal of fish.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

See school.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

The skua gull.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

See skua

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for scull →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-c2N1bGw