History of Europe

Where does the name hull originate?

The English word “hull” originally referred to the protective “husk” or “casing” of a seed or nut. The word then expanded to mean the protective “outer covering” of anything. In Old English, the word was “hulu,” which was most commonly used in reference to the coating on grains and seeds. Today, the word is typically used when talking about the main body or structure of a ship or boat (such as a tanker or a tugboat), or the main body or frame of other structures, such as an airplane, a car, or even an entire building.