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halter

Pronunciation: /ˈhɔltɚ/

The English word “halter” has 5 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A bitless headpiece of rope or straps, placed on the head of animals such as cattle or horses to lead or tie them.
  2. A rope with a noose, for hanging criminals; the gallows rope.
  3. A halter top.
  4. One who halts or limps; a cripple.

verb

  1. To place a halter on.

Etymology

From Middle English halter, helter, helfter, from Old English hælfter, hælftre (“halter”), from Proto-West Germanic *halftrijā (“harness”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to cut”), equivalent to half- + -ter. Cognate with Scots helter (“halter”), Dutch halfter, halster (“halter”), Low German halfter, helchter, halter (“halter”), German Halfter (“halter, holster”).

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