shelter

American  

[shel-ter] / ˈʃɛl tər /

noun

1. something beneath, behind, or within which a person, animal, or thing is protected from storms, missiles, adverse conditions, etc.; refuge.

   Synonyms:

   harbor, haven, shield, sanctuary, asylum, retreat

2. the protection or refuge afforded by such a thing.

   He took shelter in a nearby barn.

3. protection from blame, incrimination, etc.

4. a dwelling place or home considered as a refuge from the elements.

   Everyone's basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter.

5. a building serving as a temporary refuge or residence for abandoned animals, people who are homeless, etc.: animal shelter.

   homeless shelter;

   animal shelter.

6. Finance. tax shelter.

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verb (used with object)

1. to be a shelter for; afford shelter to.

   The old barn sheltered him from the rain.

   Synonyms:

   house, harbor

2. to provide with a shelter; place under cover.

3. to protect, as by shelter; take under one's protection.

   Parents should not try to shelter their children from normal childhood disappointments.

   Synonyms:

   defend, shield, safeguard, guard

4. Finance. to invest (money) in a tax shelter.

verb (used without object)

1. to take shelter; find a refuge.

   Students sheltered in the gymnasium when they heard the tornado sirens.

2. Finance. to invest money in a tax shelter.

shelter British  

/ ˈʃɛltə /

noun

1. something that provides cover or protection, as from weather or danger; place of refuge

2. the protection afforded by such a cover; refuge

3. the state of being sheltered

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verb

1. (tr) to provide with or protect by a shelter

2. (intr) to take cover, as from rain; find refuge

3. (tr) to act as a shelter for; take under one's protection

Related Words

See cover.

Other Word Forms

• self-shelter
  noun
• shelterer
  noun
• shelteringly
  adverb
• shelterless
  adjective
• shelterlessness
  noun
• unsheltering
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shelter

First recorded in 1575–85; of uncertain origin; perhaps alteration of obsolete sheltron “testudo” (a protective vault formed of Roman legionaries' shields), Old English scieldtruma, equivalent to scield + truma “body of men in battle formation”; see origin at shield ( def. ), trim

Explanation

Shelter is one of the basic human needs along with food, water, and companionship. It is a structure that protects you from the elements and gives you a place to live. If you get lost in the woods during a rain storm, the first thing you should do is seek shelter, or a protected place to stay. A shelter is also a place to go for help, e.g. a homeless shelter is for those with nowhere to sleep, a bomb shelter protects people in a war zone and an animal shelter houses dogs and cats without a home. You've probably heard people talking about tax shelters, which are investments that protect your money from being taxed by the government.

Example Sentences

Shelter Scotland said the Scottish government is on track to miss its target of building 110,000 new affordable homes by 2032.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Groups including Shelter Scotland and the Scottish Refugee Council have described the current approach as "homelessness by design" because they say the time provided to find a job or new housing is too short.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Shelter inflation, in particular, is expected to trend substantially lower this year due to softening rent growth.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Questions sent to the “Saving Shelter Dogs from Euthanasia” Facebook page were not immediately answered.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

We walked 9.7 miles to Spence Field Shelter, a modest distance even for us, but we were wet through and chilled, and anyway it was too far to hike to the next one.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• asylum
• dwelling
• haven
• home
• house
• hut
• lodging
• refuge
• safety
• sanctuary
• shack
• shed
• tent