kilt
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to draw or tuck up, as the skirt, about oneself.
-
to provide (a skirt) with kilt pleats.
noun
verb
-
to tuck (a skirt) up around one's body
-
to put pleats in (cloth, a skirt, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of kilt
1300–50; Middle English kylte, perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Danish kilte to tuck up
Explanation
The Scottish kilt resembles a plaid skirt, but it's traditionally worn by men. Bagpipers and Highland dancers often wear kilts, and you may even see hipsters in Brooklyn donning them. Today men and women both wear kilts, usually held closed by a large pin and accompanied by knee socks, but its tradition began with men and boys in Scotland. You're most likely to see Scots in kilts at formal events like weddings, Highland games, and funerals. The word kilt comes from the Middle English verb kilten, "to tuck up."
Vocabulary lists containing kilt
Western Europe - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Western Europe - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for January 27–February 2, 2024
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Just a few feet away, “The Pitt” star Patrick Ball made a similarly bold fashion choice, posing for photos in a black kilt.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026
This strange customer, known as the Scot, wears a kilt and carries a chrome-plated pistol.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025
He left the evening with his very own kilt, fitted by the battalion's tailor and a Glengarry hat he proudly wore during the video.
From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025
The manager pieced together a full ensemble of kilt, jacket, sporran, hose and brogues.
From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025
Both were dressed as Muggles, though very inexpertly: The man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes; his colleague, a kilt and a poncho.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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.
