stilt

1 of 2

noun

ˈstilt 

1

a

: one of two poles each with a rest or strap for the foot used to elevate the wearer above the ground in walking

b

: a pile or post serving as one of the supports of a structure above ground or water level

2

plural also stilt : any of several very long-legged 3-toed shorebirds (genera Himantopus and Cladorhynchus) that are related to the avocets, frequent inland ponds and marshes, and nest in small colonies

stilt

2 of 2

verb

stilted; stilting; stilts

transitive verb

: to raise on or as if on stilts

Examples of stilt in a Sentence

Noun

a circus performer walking on stilts

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sometimes, these doubles did not directly touch, like the two towers on stilts in a drawing from 1989, reflecting the fear of infection and transmission of HIV or the impossibility of a platonic love. —Mateus Nunes, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2024

His designs are an imaginative feast, with a giraffe standing on stilts, a kangaroo bouncing on a pogo stick, and frogs reenacting Homeric battles. —Lilian Raji, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

Verb

Urban planners worry an overreliance on single-family residences to raise taxes and house new citizens could stilt the city’s growth. —Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2024

Your ability to move into different situations can be stilted at times. —BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English stilte; akin to Old High German stelza stilt

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1649, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

stilt

noun

ˈstilt

1

: one of two poles each with a rest or strap for the foot used to elevate the wearer above the ground in walking

2

: a stake or post used to support a structure above ground or water level