stilt

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   one of a pair of tall poles with raised footrests that allow a person to walk high above the ground

   The performer crossed the square on stilts while juggling three balls.

2. 2
   noun

   a post or pillar that supports a structure above the ground or water

   The house stands on concrete stilts above the floodplain.

3. 3
   noun

   a long-legged wading bird with a slender bill, usually found near shallow water

   A black-winged stilt searched the lagoon for insects and small crustaceans.

From Middle English stilte, probably from an Old English or wider Germanic base associated with stiffness and standing upright; compare Dutch stelt and German Stelze. The bird was named for its exceptionally long, stiltlike legs.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary