noun · verb · 16 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛltə(ɹ)
homophone: Shelta (non-rhotic)
CMU ARPABET:SH EH1 L T ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Somewhere one can find protection.
A place where a person or animal may find protection from the elements (especially rain, storms, or cold) sometimes as a place to sleep (such as a cave).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
The band of explorers found a shelter behind the waterfall, which they rested at for three days.
rock shelter
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Somewhere one can find protection.
A bare-bones above-ground structure meant to provide temporary cover from the elements; usually small and with no door to close.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, usually
Examples
bus shelter
waiting shelter
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Somewhere one can find protection.
A place for protection from deadly conditions outside, including military assault; usually partly or fully underground.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
tornado shelter
fallout shelter
air-raid shelter
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Somewhere one can find protection.
A refuge, sanctuary, or (by metonymy) institution that provides temporary housing or a place to sleep for those in need or in danger.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
(in compounds)
women's shelter
homeless shelter
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: home
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Somewhere one can find protection.
A refuge, sanctuary, or (by metonymy) institution that provides temporary housing or a place to sleep for those in need or in danger.
An animal shelter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, often
Examples
I wish more people would look for pets at the shelter before turning to breeders!
kill shelter
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: home
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
That which provides protection or cover.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
Along with air, water, and food, shelter is often recognized as a human necessity.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
The state of being protected or shielded.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abstract, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To provide cover from damage or harassment; to shield; to protect.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To take cover.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
During the rainstorm, we sheltered under a tree.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
From Middle English sheltron, sheldtrume (“roof or wall formed by locked shields”), from Old English sċildtruma, sċyldtruma (“a phalanx, company (of troops), a tortoise, a covering, shed, shelter”, literally “shield-troop”), from sċyld, sċield (“shield”) + truma (“a troop of soldiers”). Cognate with Scots schilthrum, schiltrum. More at shield, and Old English trymman (“to strengthen”), from trum (“strong, firm”) at trim. Doublet of sheltron (a kind of military formation), which is the more conservative of the two.
Across languages
Translations
262 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
strehë
— a refuge or other protection
Arabic:
مَلَاذ
(malāḏ)
— a refuge or other protection
Arabic:
مَخْلَص
(maḵlaṣ)
— a refuge or other protection
Armenian:
ապաստան
(apastan)
— a refuge or other protection
Azerbaijani:
sığıncaq
— a refuge or other protection
Azerbaijani:
pənah
— a refuge or other protection
Azerbaijani:
daldalanacaq
— a refuge or other protection
Basque:
aterpe
— a refuge or other protection
Belarusian:
прыту́лак
(prytúlak)
— a refuge or other protection
Belarusian:
прыста́нішча
(prystánišča)
— a refuge or other protection
Belarusian:
прыста́нак
(prystának)
— a refuge or other protection
Belarusian:
укры́цце
(ukrýccje)
— a refuge or other protection
Belarusian:
укрыццё
(ukryccjó)
— a refuge or other protection
Bengali:
আশ্রয়
(asroẏ)
— a refuge or other protection
Bengali:
পানা
(pana)
— a refuge or other protection
Bulgarian:
убе́жище
(ubéžište)
— a refuge or other protection
Burmese:
အရိပ်အာဝါသ
(a.rip-awasa.)
— a refuge or other protection
Catalan:
aixopluc
— a refuge or other protection
Catalan:
recer
— a refuge or other protection
Chinese Mandarin:
棲身之地 /栖身之地
(qīshēn zhīdì)
— a refuge or other protection
Chinese Mandarin:
住處 /住处
(zhùchù)
— a refuge or other protection
Chinese Mandarin:
庇護 /庇护
(bìhù)
— a refuge or other protection
Chinese Mandarin:
掩蔽
(yǎnbì)
— a refuge or other protection
Czech:
útočiště
— a refuge or other protection
Old Czech:
brh
— a refuge or other protection
Danish:
ly
— a refuge or other protection
Dutch:
onderdak
— a refuge or other protection
Dutch:
toevluchtsoord
— a refuge or other protection
Dutch:
hokje
— a refuge or other protection
Dutch:
schuilplaats
— a refuge or other protection
Egyptian:
k-A-p:V19
(kꜣp)
— a refuge or other protection
Egyptian:
n-i-A-i-S36
(njꜣj)
— a refuge or other protection
Esperanto:
ŝirmo
— a refuge or other protection
Estonian:
peavari
— a refuge or other protection
Finnish:
suojapaikka
— a refuge or other protection
Finnish:
turvapaikka
— a refuge or other protection
Finnish:
suoja
— a refuge or other protection
French:
abri
— a refuge or other protection
French:
refuge
— a refuge or other protection
Georgian:
თავშესაფარი
(tavšesapari)
— a refuge or other protection
Georgian:
ნავსაყუდელი
(navsaq̇udeli)
— a refuge or other protection
Georgian:
სავანე
(savane)
— a refuge or other protection
German:
Zuflucht
— a refuge or other protection
German:
Obdach
— a refuge or other protection
German:
Zufluchtsort
— a refuge or other protection
German:
Schutzraum
— a refuge or other protection
Greek:
καταφύγιο
(katafýgio)
— a refuge or other protection
Ancient Greek:
σκέπη
(sképē)
— a refuge or other protection
Hebrew:
מִקְלָט
(miklát)
— a refuge or other protection
Hebrew:
מַחֲסֶה
(maẖasé)
— a refuge or other protection
Hindi:
शरण
(śaraṇ)
— a refuge or other protection
Hindi:
शरणालय
(śarṇālay)
— a refuge or other protection
Hindi:
पनाह
(panāh)
— a refuge or other protection
Hindi:
पनाहगाह
(panāhgāh)
— a refuge or other protection
Hindi:
बसेरा
(baserā)
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
menedék
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
védelem
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
oltalom
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
menedékhely
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
óvóhely
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
menedékház
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
búvóhely
— a refuge or other protection
Hungarian:
fedett váró/megálló
— a refuge or other protection
Icelandic:
skjól
— a refuge or other protection
Icelandic:
athvarf
— a refuge or other protection
Indonesian:
penaungan
— a refuge or other protection
Indonesian:
penampungan
— a refuge or other protection
Indonesian:
tempat perlindungan
— a refuge or other protection
Ingrian:
varjo
— a refuge or other protection
Irish:
foscadh
— a refuge or other protection
Irish:
fothain
— a refuge or other protection
Italian:
rifugio
— a refuge or other protection
Italian:
riparo
— a refuge or other protection
Japanese:
避難所
(hinanjo)
— a refuge or other protection
Kabuverdianu:
gazadju
— a refuge or other protection
Kazakh:
баспана
(baspana)
— a refuge or other protection
Kazakh:
пана
(pana)
— a refuge or other protection
Khmer:
ជំរក
(cumrɔɔk)
— a refuge or other protection
Korean:
피난처
(pinancheo)
— a refuge or other protection
Korean:
대피소
(daepiso)
— a refuge or other protection
Kyrgyz:
башкалка
(başkalka)
— a refuge or other protection
Ladin:
sosta
— a refuge or other protection
Lao:
ທັບ
(thap)
— a refuge or other protection
Lao:
ນິດໃສ
(nit sai)
— a refuge or other protection
Lao:
ສາທະນະ
(sā tha na)
— a refuge or other protection
Lao:
ສ້ອງ
(sǭng)
— a refuge or other protection
Latin:
tegmen
— a refuge or other protection
Latin:
suffugium
— a refuge or other protection
Latin:
tūtum
— a refuge or other protection
Latvian:
pajumte
— a refuge or other protection
Latvian:
patversme
— a refuge or other protection
Lithuanian:
pastogė
— a refuge or other protection
Luxembourgish:
Ënnerdaach
— a refuge or other protection
Macedonian:
засолниште
(zasolnište)
— a refuge or other protection
Malay:
tempat perlindungan
— a refuge or other protection
Malayalam:
ഷെൽറ്റർ
(ṣelṟṟaṟ)
— a refuge or other protection
Malayalam:
അഭയസ്ഥാനം
(abhayasthānaṁ)
— a refuge or other protection
Māori:
tūrutu
— a refuge or other protection
Māori:
pātūtū
— a refuge or other protection
Māori:
tāwharau
— a refuge or other protection
Māori:
māhauhau
— a refuge or other protection
Māori:
whakaruru
— a refuge or other protection
Nepali:
आवास
(āvās)
— a refuge or other protection
Nepali:
शरण
(śaraṇ)
— a refuge or other protection
Norwegian Bokmål:
ly
— a refuge or other protection
Church Slavic:
щоуждекръмьница
(štuždekrŭmĭnica)
— a refuge or other protection
Iranian Persian:
پَناهْگاه
(panâhgâh)
— a refuge or other protection
Iranian Persian:
مَخْلَص
(maxlas)
— a refuge or other protection
Iranian Persian:
پَناه
(panâh)
— a refuge or other protection
Plautdietsch:
Schulinj
— a refuge or other protection
Polish:
schronienie
— a refuge or other protection
Polish:
schronisko
— a refuge or other protection
Polish:
przytułek
— a refuge or other protection
Portuguese:
refúgio
— a refuge or other protection
Portuguese:
abrigo
— a refuge or other protection
Portuguese:
amparo
— a refuge or other protection
Portuguese:
asilo
— a refuge or other protection
Romanian:
adăpost
— a refuge or other protection
Russian:
убе́жище
(ubéžišče)
— a refuge or other protection
Russian:
укры́тие
(ukrýtije)
— a refuge or other protection
Russian:
прию́т
(prijút)
— a refuge or other protection
Russian:
прибе́жище
(pribéžišče)
— a refuge or other protection
Russian:
приста́нище
(pristánišče)
— a refuge or other protection
Sanskrit:
शरण
(śaraṇa)
— a refuge or other protection
Scottish Gaelic:
dìon
— a refuge or other protection
Serbo-Croatian:
у̀точӣште
— a refuge or other protection
Serbo-Croatian:
ùtočīšte
— a refuge or other protection
Slovak:
útočisko
— a refuge or other protection
Slovene:
zaklonišče
— a refuge or other protection
Spanish:
abrigo
— a refuge or other protection
Spanish:
amparo
— a refuge or other protection
Spanish:
abrigadero
— a refuge or other protection
Spanish:
abrigaño
— a refuge or other protection
Spanish:
cobijo
— a refuge or other protection
Swedish:
skydd
— a refuge or other protection
Tajik:
паноҳгоҳ
(panohgoh)
— a refuge or other protection
Tajik:
гурезгоҳ
(gurezgoh)
— a refuge or other protection
Tajik:
панох
(panox)
— a refuge or other protection
Thai:
ที่หลบภัย
— a refuge or other protection
Thai:
อาวรณ์
(aa-wɔɔn)
— a refuge or other protection
Thai:
ร่มไม้ชายคา
— a refuge or other protection
Thai:
ที่พักอาศัย
— a refuge or other protection
Turkish:
sığınak
— a refuge or other protection
Turkish:
barınak
— a refuge or other protection
Ottoman Turkish:
التجا
(iltica)
— a refuge or other protection
Ukrainian:
приту́лок
(prytúlok)
— a refuge or other protection
Ukrainian:
укриття́
(ukryttjá)
— a refuge or other protection
Urdu:
پَناہ
(panāh)
— a refuge or other protection
Urdu:
شَرَن
(śaran)
— a refuge or other protection
Urdu:
پَناہ گاہ
(panāh gāh)
— a refuge or other protection
Uyghur:
پاناھگاھ
(panahgah)
— a refuge or other protection
Uyghur:
پاناھ
(panah)
— a refuge or other protection
Uyghur:
باشپانا
(bashpana)
— a refuge or other protection
Uzbek:
boshpana
— a refuge or other protection
Uzbek:
panohgoh
— a refuge or other protection
Uzbek:
panoh
— a refuge or other protection
Vietnamese:
chỗ che
— a refuge or other protection
Vietnamese:
chỗ ẩn
— a refuge or other protection
Vietnamese:
chỗ núp
— a refuge or other protection
Welsh:
cysgod
— a refuge or other protection
Welsh:
lloches
— a refuge or other protection
Zazaki:
serte (diq)
— a refuge or other protection
