skell

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

a homeless person, especially one who sleeps in the New York subway.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Did you see those two skells lying in the doorway?

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A male suspicious person or crime suspect, especially a street person such as a drug dealer, pimp or panhandler.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “skell” mean?

a homeless person, especially one who sleeps in the New York subway.

Is “skell” formal or informal?

skell is generally slang.