holster

American  

[hohl-ster] / ˈhoʊl stər /

noun

1. a sheathlike carrying case for a firearm, attached to a belt, shoulder sling, or saddle.

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verb (used with object)

1. to put or put back in a holster.

   to holster a gun.

holster British  

/ ˈhəʊlstə /

noun

1. a sheathlike leather case for a pistol, attached to a belt or saddle

2. mountaineering a similar case for an ice axe or piton hammer

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Other Word Forms

• holstered
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of holster

1655–65; < Dutch; cognate with Gothic hulistr, Old Norse hulstr sheath; akin to Old English helan to hide

Explanation

The noun holster looks like holder and that's exactly what it is. Some holsters hold a single item, like a gun, and others are more like tool belts, holding many small items. The o in holster is long, so pronounce it like this: "HOLE-ster." Originally, the word described something very specific — a leather case for a pistol. It probably comes from the Old English word heolster (earlier helustr), which means "concealment, hiding place." Today, holsters may hide what they hold, but they always keep things handy.

Example Sentences

The officer then calmly put his gun back in his holster and walked toward the car, which had crashed into another car down the street.

From Slate • Jan. 7, 2026

During an altercation on a Palestinian farmer's land in January 2023, Moshe Sharvit says Gil Alexander tried to seize his firearm from its holster.

From BBC • May 11, 2025

Ferguson kept his Glock loaded in a velcro ankle holster and wore it everywhere “unless he was showering or sleeping,” Hunt said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2025

“When we first came here, in ’64, I was dressed up in a poncho with a holster and a toy gun,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024

With a name like that, I give him a cowboy hat, a bandana, and a holster.

From "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt