Shelta
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of Shelta
First recorded in 1875–80; origin uncertain
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Slang, slang, n. a conventional tongue with many dialects, which are, as a rule, unintelligible to outsiders, such as Gypsy, Canting or Flash, Back-slang, and Shelta or Tinkers' Talk: any kind of colloquial and familiar language serving as a kind of class or professional shibboleth.—adj. pertaining to slang.—v.i. to use slang, and esp. abusive language.—v.t. to scold.—adv.
From Project Gutenberg
He also knew others, such as Romany, of which he was proud, and the Shelta or Minklas of the tinkers, of which he was not.
From Project Gutenberg
The right name for it is Shelter or Shelta.”
From Project Gutenberg
But of late years the old tinkers’ families are mostly broken up, and the language is perishing.” p. 358Then he proceeded to give us the words in Shelta, or Minklers Thari.
From Project Gutenberg
Our informant did not know whether this word, of Romany origin, meant, in Shelta, policeman or magistrate.
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
