a. [f. KEEL sb.1 + -LESS.]
1. Of a boat: Having no keel.
1879. Daily News, 7 April, 3/3. The worst crew that either University has sent to Putney since the days when keelless boats first came into use, just 22 years ago.
1896. Westm. Gaz., 20 June, 5/2. I was out since six oclock in my shallow keelless boat.
2. Zool. Having no keel along the breast-bone.
1884. G. Allen, in Longm. Mag., Jan., 293. Keelless and often almost wingless birds.
1886. R. W. Shufeldt, in Century Mag., XXXI. 358/1. This great order of the Ratitæ, or keelless birds.
1895. Pop. Sci. Monthly, April, 762. All had keelless sterna.