dunsel

English

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dunsel

/ˈdʌnsəl/ US, UK

Where it comes from

Possible coinage as a variation of English dunnage as dun + -sel with the suffix indicating singulative or diminutive. Earliest so-far documented use was in a Star Trek episode, "The Ultimate Computer". Was coined by a writer for the original "Star Trek" series (Episode name: The Ultimate Computer.").

noun dunsels

Something (especially part of a vessel) that is useless, or superfluous or unnecessary. If I'm not part of the crew and earn my keep, then I'm a dunsel. And you'll not have a dunsel aboard long […]
broadly A captain of a vessel who has little or no practical use. McCoy: “Who the blazes is ‘Captain Dunsel’?” / Spock: “Dunsel, Doctor, is a term used by midshipmen at Starfleet Academy. It refers to a part which serves no useful purpose.”

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MLA

"dunsel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dunsel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

dunsel. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dunsel

Chicago

"dunsel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dunsel.

BibTeX

@misc{dunsel_2026,
  title = {dunsel},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dunsel},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}