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

She also was known for living and working in a kind of treehouse for grownups that was set on stilts in a forest on Dear Island. —Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026

The event featured roaming jugglers and stilt-walkers, face painting, craft stations, costume displays, entertainment from a DJ, and demonstrations from Lyric Opera artists and technicians. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

Verb

The word stilt comes from Middle English stilt(e), meaning a crutch or support. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025

The Spartans, conversely, bring almost a Big Ten-football mentality to the court, trying to stilt the flow of the game by defending and rebounding well. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 23 Mar. 2025

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

Rhymes for stilt

• built
• gilt
• guilt
• hilt
• kilt
• lilt
• milt
• quilt
• silt
• spilt
• tilt
• wilt

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