kilt

1 of 2

noun

ˈkilt 

1

: a knee-length pleated skirt usually of tartan worn by men in Scotland and by Scottish regiments in the British armies

2

: a garment that resembles a Scottish kilt

kilt

2 of 2

verb

kilted; kilting; kilts

transitive verb

1

chiefly dialectal : to tuck up (something, such as a skirt)

2

: to equip with a kilt

intransitive verb

: to move nimbly

Examples of kilt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Meanwhile, McPhee referenced his Scottish heritage by wearing a kilt in McPhee tartan. —Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025

Julia is dressed quite plainly in servants’ clothing, while Henry looks slightly more well-to-do, though he’s also fitted in muted browns (and notably is wearing a kilt!). —Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 22 July 2025

Yes, Charles and Frederik share both Queen Victoria and King Christian of Denmark as as ancestors, but the Danes don’t do kilts. —Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025

Ever wanted to own Al Pacino’s Homburg hat or a kilt worn by the Duke of Windsor? —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 13 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse kjalta lap, fold of a gathered skirt

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for kilt

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

Kids Definition

kilt

noun

ˈkilt

: a knee-length pleated skirt usually of tartan worn by men in Scotland

kilted

ˈkil-təd

adjective