stilt

noun \ ˈstilt \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of stilt

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

See stilt defined for English-language learners

See stilt defined for kids

Examples of stilt in a Sentence

a circus performer walking on stilts

Recent Examples of stilt from the Web

Price stressed that there are expenses to be met in funding the parade, including performers such as stilt-walkers, the Shriners Flying Carpets and the Jesse White Tumblers.

— hank beckman, chicagotribune.com, "Vivid colors, patterns help fourth-grade artist win title for La Grange Pet Parade," 9 Apr. 2018
This is a party where Martha Stewart might encounter a shirtless male model on stilts.

— todd plummer, Vogue, "Behind the Scenes of Tribeca Ball, One of New York’s Most Glamorous Galas," 3 Apr. 2018
The outdoor Mardi Gras-style event, also staged at Chicago and Van Buren streets, is open to those age 21 and older and features bands, stilt walkers, jugglers and other street performers, Cajun fare and beer tents.

— vickie snow jurkowski, Daily Southtown, "Everclear, Dokken with Lita Ford, Chris Brown and I Love the 90s tour headed to Southland," 29 Mar. 2018
Pembroke Pines celebrates its 58th birthday on Pines Day with a circus/carnival, live performances, singers and dancers, stilt walkers, jugglers, strolling magicians, rides and craft booths, carnival games.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Fairs & Festivals," 28 Mar. 2018
Those in the crowd included stilt walkers and jugglers, and many held signs decrying proposals to arm teachers and insisting children be kept safe in schools and on the street.

— wsj staff, WSJ, "Thousands Join ‘March for Our Lives’ Protests Against Gun Violence," 24 Mar. 2018
Ronan’s proposal for Jackson Park, on the other hand, looks like Apple Park on stilts, overlooking the lake.

— alexandra lange, Curbed, "What does a presidential building look like?," 22 Mar. 2018
Artists cobbled displays together from tables, easels and even a laundry basket on stilts.

— joy wallace dickinson, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Famed Winter Park art show sprang from hometown talent," 18 Mar. 2018
The advent of cantilever homes in the 1950s led to a growth spurt in Montecito Heights, as previously undevelopable hillside view tracts began to sprout houses on stilts.

— scott garner, latimes.com, "Neighborhood Spotlight: Montecito Heights finds itself at a crossroad," 9 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stilt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stilt

Middle English stilte; akin to Old High German stelza stilt

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

stilt

verb

Definition of stilt

transitive verb

: to raise on or as if on stilts

Recent Examples of stilt from the Web

From photo ops with the Easter Bunny to stilt walkers and juggling sessions to face painting and more, entertainment for all ages will unfold from morning to night.

— grace dickinson, Philly.com, "Where to celebrate Easter with the family in Philadelphia this year," 22 Mar. 2018
But even that is not enough to save this awkwardly written, stilted and sometimes just plain cruel movie.

— laura demarco, cleveland.com, "Woody Allen's 'Wonder Wheel' with Kate Winslet, Justin Timberlake bleak despite Coney Island setting: Review," 11 Dec. 2017
Diggs and supporting actress Robinne Lee, who plays Madison's best friend, Chelsea, bring an ease to the onscreen dynamic, which is so stilted between Ilonzeh and Bishop.

— katie walsh, latimes.com, "' 'Til Death Do Us Part' tries to treat domestic abuse seriously, but comes off as seriously soapy," 29 Sep. 2017
The dialogue is stilted, the costumes are too literal, the sets are drab and the action scenes are poorly directed and hard to follow.

— kelly lawler, USA TODAY, "Review: 'Marvel's Inhumans' is inhumanly awful," 28 Sep. 2017
Weick’s diction is often stilted, and his vehemence seems cliché as Marx rails against the System, the 1-percenters, the Military-Industrial Complex, Big Pharma, and so on.

— toby zinman, Philly.com, "'Marx in Soho': More of a harangue than a play," 8 Sep. 2017
The group’s Web site consists of just a single page, and its Korean is oddly stilted, as if the statements there had been drafted first in a different language, then translated.

— suki kim, The New Yorker, "An Extraordinary Statement from a North Korean Prince," 20 Mar. 2017
The men’s letters are studied and stilted, as if they were written to be published.

— abby mcganney nolan, The Mercury News, "Cokie Roberts shines a light on women who shaped early America in ‘Ladies of Liberty’," 1 Mar. 2017
The prose can sound stilted, perhaps because pulp, with the underworld’s cultural specificity, can be as difficult to translate as poetry.

— special to the washington post, The Denver Post, "The Acid Test review: In a sea of corpses, a lone detective struggles to solve one murder at a time," 5 Jan. 2017

First Known Use of stilt

1649

STILT Defined for English Language Learners

stilt

noun

Definition of stilt for English Language Learners

: one of a set of upright posts that are used to hold a building up above water or the ground
: one of a pair of long poles with platforms for your feet that you can stand on to walk high above the ground

STILT Defined for Kids

stilt

noun \ ˈstilt \

Definition of stilt for Students

1 : one of a pair of tall poles each with a high step or loop for the support of a foot used to lift the person wearing them above the ground in walking

2 : a stake or post used as one of the supports of a structure (as a building) above ground or water level