Standard Lemma guide

kelter

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɛltə/
  • General-American: /ˈkɛltɚ/
  • rhymes with -ɛltə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: K EH1 L T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Archaic form of kilter (“(good) condition, form, or order; fettle”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, US, alt-of, archaic, dialectal, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Money.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, slang, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Rubbish; trifle; hodgepodge.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, dialectal, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

in working order

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • out of kilter
  • in good kilter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kilter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: orderliness, order

History

Etymology

See kilter.

Perhaps related to gelt.

Unknown.