kilter
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of kilter
First recorded in 1630–40; variant of dial. kelter < ?
Explanation
The noun kilter means "balance," or "a state of working well," but you'll only find it in the phrase "out of kilter," meaning "not working right." When things are off balance or out of whack, they're out of kilter, or off-kilter. If your bike keeps pulling to one side, or your toaster is only toasting one side of the bread you insert, they're both out of kilter. If you're studying hard and forgetting to eat well and exercise, you might also feel out of kilter. The word comes from the now-obsolete kelter, although the origin of this word is unknown.
Vocabulary lists containing kilter
Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman?" (1863)
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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.
Her husband, Joseph Prichard, one-time lead singer for the L.A. punk band One Man Show Live, now runs his own graphic design company, Kilter.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025
Perhaps as important, it had as executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, whose production company, Kilter Films, developed the series through Amazon Studios.
From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2022
‘Off Kilter: Power and Pathos’ Sandra Low, Keiko Fukazawa and Kim-Trang Tran explore sociopolitical issues in works on view through Sept. 4.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 2, 2022
This week we speak to Ian Powell and Jackie Hueftle who own US firm Kilter Grips, which makes holds for climbing walls.
From BBC • May 3, 2020
It is certain that some wicked creatures have captured him," added Kilter thoughtfully, "and their object must be to make the children unhappy.
From A Kidnapped Santa Claus by Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank)
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.
