kelter

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɛltə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɛltɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɛltə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: kelt‧er

Etymology 1

See kilter.

Noun

kelter (uncountable)

1. (British dialectal, US, chiefly in the negative) Archaic form of kilter (“(good) condition, form, or order; fettle”).
   • 1851, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Personal Memoirs Of A Residence Of Thirty Years With The Indian Tribes On The American Frontiers‎^[1]:

     Fiscal—Something has been out of kelter at Washington these two years with regard to the rigid application of appropriations, at least in the Indian Department.

   • 1867, William Henry Smyth, The Sailor’s Word-Book‎^[2]:

     —All over, resemblance to a particular object, as a ship in bad kelter: "she's a privateer all over."

   • 1910, Alexander Irvine, From the Bottom Up‎^[3]:

     It was intimated to me that such "frivolousness" was out of kelter with the profession of a Christian.

Derived terms

• out of kelter

Etymology 2

Perhaps related to gelt.

Noun

kelter (uncountable)

1. (obsolete, slang) Money.
   • 1818, The Squib-Book, a collection of the addresses, songs, squibs, and other papers issued during the contested election at Liverpool, 1818, page 14:

     By Jove, says my Lord, all my money is flown, […] Pray say, have you got any kelter to spare?

References

• John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary

Etymology 3

Unknown.

Noun

kelter (uncountable)

1. (obsolete, British dialectal) Rubbish; trifle; hodgepodge.

References

• “kelter, n3.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

Swedish

Noun

kelter

1. indefinite plural of kelt