stilt

Meanings

Noun

• Either of two poles with footrests that allow someone to stand or walk above the ground; used mostly by entertainers.
• A tall pillar or post used to support some structure; often above water.
• Any of various wading birds of the genera Himantopus and Cladorhynchus, related to the avocet, that have extremely long legs and long thin bills.
• A crutch.
• The handle of a plough.

Verb

• to raise on stilts, or as if on stilts

Origin

• From Middle English stilte, stulte, from Old English *stilte, *stylte, from Proto-Germanic *stiltijǭ, *staltijǭ, *stultijǭ, from Proto-Germanic *stelt-. Akin to Danish stylte, Dutch stelt, German Stelze.