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noun

kilt

kihlt

Kilt (noun) means a knee-length pleated garment, traditionally made of tartan wool, worn originally by Scottish men as part of Highland dress. Example: “He wore a kilt to the wedding to honour his Scottish heritage.”

noun
1
A knee-length pleated garment, traditionally made of tartan wool, worn originally by Scottish men as part of Highland dress.
"He wore a kilt to the wedding to honour his Scottish heritage."
"The pipe band marched past in matching kilts."
verb
1
To gather up or tuck up a skirt or garment around the body.
"She kilted her skirts to wade across the stream."

How to use kilt

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe traditional pleated tartan skirt-like garment worn by Scottish men, especially for formal or ceremonial occasions.

Common pairings
wear a kilt tartan kilt kilt and sporran

Word forms

kilted past tense, kilts plural, kilts singular

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He wore a _____ to the wedding to honour his Scottish heritage.

Etymology

From Middle English kilten ("to tuck up"), tracing back to Old Norse kjalta ("skirt, lap") — the same root that gave English the word "child."

Origin: Middle English

filibeg philibeg

Rhymes for kilt

See all rhymes for kilt →

Frequently asked questions

What does “kilt” mean?

The word “kilt” means a knee-length pleated garment, traditionally made of tartan wool, worn originally by Scottish men as part of Highland dress. In plain terms, the traditional pleated tartan skirt-like garment worn by Scottish men, especially for formal or ceremonial occasions.

How do you pronounce “kilt”?

“Kilt” is pronounced kihlt (/kɪlt/ in IPA).

How do you use “kilt” in a sentence?

Here is “kilt” used in a sentence: “He wore a kilt to the wedding to honour his Scottish heritage.”

What is another word for “kilt”?

Words with a similar meaning to “kilt” include filibeg and philibeg.

What part of speech is “kilt”?

Depending on how it is used, “kilt” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “kilt” come from?

The word “kilt” comes from Middle English. From Middle English kilten ("to tuck up"), tracing back to Old Norse kjalta ("skirt, lap") — the same root that gave English the word "child.".

How many meanings does “kilt” have?

“Kilt” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a knee-length pleated garment, traditionally made of tartan wool, worn originally by Scottish men as part of Highland dress.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial