stilt
stilt Lexical Profile
stilt Game Scores & Validity
• noun
One of a pair of long, slender poles with footrests, used for walking elevated above the ground.
"The street performers walked on tall wooden stilts to entertain the crowd gathered at the festival."
A tall post or pillar used to elevate a building or structure above the ground or water.
"Many traditional houses in the coastal village are built on stilts to protect them from high tides and seasonal flooding."
Any of several wading birds of the family Recurvirostridae, characterized by exceptionally long, slender legs and a long, straight bill.
"The black-winged stilt is easily recognizable as it wades through the shallow wetland waters searching for aquatic insects."
• verb
To raise, elevate, or support a structure or object on tall posts or pillars.
"The architects decided to stilt the new beachfront property to prevent severe water damage during hurricane storm surges."
To make language, behavior, or style artificially formal, stiff, or unnaturally elevated.
"The novice author tended to stilt his prose with archaic vocabulary whenever he tried to sound more academic."
• Rhymes for stilt
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'stilte', likely of Middle Low German or Middle Dutch origin, related to 'stelten' (to walk on stilts). Ultimately derived from a Germanic root meaning 'to be stiff' or 'post'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.