halter

1
[ hawl-ter ]
See synonyms for halter on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a rope or strap with a noose or headstall for leading or restraining horses or cattle.

  2. a rope with a noose for hanging criminals; the hangman's noose; gallows.

  1. death by hanging.

  2. Also called halter top . a woman's top, secured behind the neck and across the back, leaving the arms, shoulders, upper back, and often the midriff bare.

verb (used with object)
  1. to put a halter on; restrain as by a halter.

  2. to hang (a person).

adjective
  1. (of a garment) having a neckline consisting of a cord, strap, band, or the like that is attached to or forms part of the front of a backless and sleeveless bodice and extends around the neck: a halter dress.

Origin of halter

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English hælfter; cognate with German Halfter

Other words from halter

  • hal·ter·like, adjective
  • un·hal·tered, adjective
  • un·hal·ter·ing, adjective

Other definitions for halter (2 of 4)

halter2
[ hal-ter ]

noun,plural hal·te·res [hal-teer-eez]. /hælˈtɪər iz/.
  1. one of a pair of slender, club-shaped appendages on the hindmost body segment of a fly, serving to maintain its balance in flight.

Origin of halter

2
First recorded in 1820–25; from New Latin, special use of Latin haltēr “handheld weight used in long jumps,” from Greek háltēr, derivative of hállesthai “to jump, leap,” akin to Latin salīre with the same meaning; see salient

Other definitions for halter (3 of 4)

halter3
[ hawl-ter ]

noun
  1. one who stops.

Origin of halter

3

Other definitions for halter (4 of 4)

halter4
[ hawl-ter ]

noun
  1. a person who halts, falters, or hesitates.

Origin of halter

4
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at halt2, -er1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use halter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for halter

halter

/ (ˈhɔːltə) /


noun
  1. a rope or canvas headgear for a horse, usually with a rope for leading

  2. Also called: halterneck a style of woman's top fastened behind the neck and waist, leaving the back and arms bare

  1. a rope having a noose for hanging a person

  2. death by hanging

verb(tr)
  1. to secure with a halter or put a halter on

  2. to hang (someone)

Origin of halter

1
Old English hælfter; related to Old High German halftra, Middle Dutch heliftra

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012