stiletto

American  

[sti-let-oh] / stɪˈlɛt oʊ /

noun

plural

stilettos, stilettoes

1. a short dagger with a blade that is thick in proportion to its width.

2. a pointed instrument for making eyelet holes in needlework.

3.  spike heel.  stiletto heel.

---

verb (used with object)

stilettoed, stilettoing

1. to stab or kill with a stiletto.

stiletto British  

/ stɪˈlɛtəʊ /

noun

1. a small dagger with a slender tapered blade

2. a sharply pointed tool used to make holes in leather, cloth, etc

3. Also called: spike heel.   stiletto heel.  a very high heel on a woman's shoe, tapering to a very narrow tip

---

verb

1. (tr) to stab with a stiletto

Other Word Forms

• stilettolike adjective

Etymology

Origin of stiletto

First recorded in 1605–15; from Italian, equivalent to stil(o) “dagger” (from Latin stilus stylus ) + -etto -ette

Example Sentences

Brightly coloured Gucci stilettos catch the eye from a distance; it's a treasure trove of top-label kit worth tens of thousands of pounds.

From BBC

Then, moments later, there she is again: Exiting the White House, coolly lethal in sunglasses, stilettos and a funnel neck MaxMara coat the color of a tawny marmalade.

From Salon

And since the audience, which is admitted in groups of 60 at 15-minute intervals, will largely be standing or walking on varied surfaces during the two-hour running time, stilettos are forbidden.

From The Wall Street Journal

One studio manager recalled that her habit of striding across the studio in stiletto heels damaged the floor but no-one had the courage to tell her.

From BBC

The teaser for the film gives nothing away - the famous red stiletto heel from the first film's promotional poster is appropriately joined by a second, identical shoe.

From BBC

Related Words

• ammunition
• bomb
• cannon
• firearm
• gun
• knife
• machete
• machine gun
• missile
• nerve gas
• pistol
• revolver
• rifle
• shotgun
• sword
• tear gas