Standard Lemma guide

carvel

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɑːvɪl/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /-əl/
  • General-American: /ˈkɑɹvɪl/
  • General-American: /-əl/
  • CMU ARPABET: K AA0 R V EH1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Synonym of caravel (“a light, usually lateen-rigged sailing ship”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: caravel

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A jellyfish (e.g. Medusozoa).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English carvel, carvelle, carvile, kervel (“small ship; caravel”), from Old French caruelle, carvelle, kirvelle, see further at caravel. The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch karveel.