runnel
Americannoun
-
a small stream; brook; rivulet.
-
a small channel, as for water.
noun
Etymology
Origin of runnel
First recorded in 1570–80; run (in the sense “small stream”) + -el diminutive suffix
Explanation
A very small stream is a runnel. You might entertain yourself by floating tiny paper boats down the runnel that streams through the woods behind your house. In Old English a stream was a ryne, and a teeny tiny stream was a rynel, the source of runnel. You could also call it a "rivulet," "channel," or "streamlet." As well as the runnels in nature, branching off from brooks and streams, you might use it to describe someone's perspiring forehead: "It was so hot that there were runnels of sweat running down his face."
Vocabulary lists containing runnel
The Devil's Arithmetic
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 2 of the epic poem
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dune
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The road ran like a twisty runnel through fuchsia hedges and bright fields of buttercups and cow parsley, up to a pass among the 3,000-foot Slieve Mish mountains.
From New York Times ● Aug. 12, 2019
Shy time that dives into the wings, too embarrassed to acknowledge the applause, dense, like a runnel attacking.
From New York Times ● Sep. 3, 2017
Every runnel was a Rubicon where every ditch was a last ditch.
From New York Times ● Nov. 22, 2016
A runnel of sweat curled down her calf.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 25, 2011
So I draw that line Laia spoke of, a deep runnel in the earth of my mind.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
