rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryhullVessel body
noun

hull

HULL/hʌl/

The main body of a ship, boat, or aircraft.

The wooden hull rests on supports in the workshop.

An upright unfinished wooden boat hull resting on low workshop cradles, viewed from above at a three-quarter angle so its enclosing shell, ribs, pointed bow and flat stern are immediately visible.
Etymology
hullProbable sourceEnglisha husk or outer covering

Probably a figurative use of hull for an outer covering. A separate nautical source has also been proposed, so the relationship is not certain.

In context

Uncharted Mysteries108:59
The ship has been preserved in a state of suspended animation for 500 years. The images returned by the AUV are haunting. The hull is largely intact, its ribs and planking clearly visible against the mud.
The GREATEST Archaeology Discoveries of 2025

More examples

  • Workers repaired a crack in the hull.
  • The hull was painted dark blue.
  • The ship's steel hull rested on supports.

Forms

hull · hulls

Similar words

fuselage
Specifically the main body of an aircraft.
shell
The broader enclosing structure.