stiletto
Americannoun
plural
stilettos, stilettoes-
a short dagger with a blade that is thick in proportion to its width.
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a pointed instrument for making eyelet holes in needlework.
-
spike heel. stiletto heel.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a small dagger with a slender tapered blade
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a sharply pointed tool used to make holes in leather, cloth, etc
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Also called: spike heel. stiletto heel. a very high heel on a woman's shoe, tapering to a very narrow tip
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stiletto
First recorded in 1605–15; from Italian, equivalent to stil(o) “dagger” (from Latin stilus stylus ) + -etto -ette
Explanation
A killer in an old British mystery novel might carry a stiletto — a long, sharp, needle-like knife that's used for stabbing. Whether denoting a small dagger, a high heel, or sharp-pointed tool, this word from Italian always means business. It follows the rule, reliable ninety percent of the time, when doubts arise about spelling Italian imports: the double consonant follows the accented syllable. The root is the Latin word stilus, which means "pointed writing instrument."
Vocabulary lists containing stiletto
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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On Trend: Fashionable Words
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The Hate U Give
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Women recorded their thoughts and these were uploaded to the bench for the Snapping the Stiletto and the British Science Festival project, the BBC reports.
From The Guardian • Sep. 11, 2021
Her recording is part of a collection of stories from women which have been recorded by the Snapping the Stiletto project in Essex and the British Science Festival.
From BBC • Sep. 10, 2021
You can hang a jeweled security charm from Stiletto on your favorite necklace—the charm promises a safe lifestyle by sharing your location information, indoor or out, with others.
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2016
When his office manager urged him to take a call from producers with Stiletto Television two years ago, he agreed to listen.
From Seattle Times • May 22, 2013
A minute later the North Atlantic Squadron, Admiral Bunce commanding, is steaming in single file out toward the Narrows, the flag-ship New York leading, followed by the Minneapolis, Columbia, Raleigh, Montgomery, Cushing, Ericsson, and Stiletto.
From Harper's Round Table, October 1, 1895 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
