rowlock

UK: /ˈrɒlək/ US: (rō′lok′; for 3 also Naut. rol′ək, rul′-)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

row•lock  (rō′lok′; for 3 also Naut. rol′ək, rul′-), n. 

1. Architecture one of several concentric rings of masonry forming an arch.
2. Building a brick laid on edge, esp. as a header. Cf. soldier (def. 7).
3. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] oarlock.

Also, rollock (for defs. 1, 2).

• 1740–50; variant of oarlock; see row²

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

rowlock / ˈrɒlək/ noun

1. a swivelling device attached to the gunwale of a boat that holds an oar in place and acts as a fulcrum during rowing
   Usual US and Canadian word: oarlock