noun
stiletto
stih-LEH-toh
Stiletto (noun) means a short, slender knife or dagger used for stabbing. Example: “The assassin hid a stiletto up his sleeve.”
noun
1
A short, slender knife or dagger used for stabbing.
"The assassin hid a stiletto up his sleeve."
2
A woman's shoe with a very tall, thin heel.
"She wobbled across the cobblestones in her new stilettos."
How to use stiletto
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a thin stabbing knife, or the tall thin heel shoe shaped like one.
Common pairings
stiletto heels
stiletto blade
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Word forms
- Plural
- stilettos, stilettoes, stiletti
- Third person singular
- stilettos
- Past tense
- stilettoed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The assassin hid a _____ up his sleeve.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian stiletto, from Latin stilus ("a pointed writing instrument") — the same root as "stylus" and "style".
Rhymes for stiletto
See all rhymes for stiletto →Frequently asked questions
What does “stiletto” mean?
The word “stiletto” means a short, slender knife or dagger used for stabbing. In plain terms, either a thin stabbing knife, or the tall thin heel shoe shaped like one.
How do you pronounce “stiletto”?
“Stiletto” is pronounced stih-LEH-toh (/stɪˈlɛtoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “stiletto” in a sentence?
Here is “stiletto” used in a sentence: “The assassin hid a stiletto up his sleeve.”
What part of speech is “stiletto”?
“Stiletto” is a noun.
Where does the word “stiletto” come from?
The word “stiletto” comes from Latin. Borrowed from Italian stiletto, from Latin stilus ("a pointed writing instrument") — the same root as "stylus" and "style".
How many meanings does “stiletto” have?
“Stiletto” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a short, slender knife or dagger used for stabbing.
