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Kilt

Apparel
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A pleated wraparound skirt traditionally associated with Scottish dress.

Detailed Definition
A kilt is a knee-length, pleated garment wrapped around the waist and fastened with buckles or straps, often made from patterned wool. It can signify clan, ceremony, music, rebellion, or regional pride. In poetry, its tartan may carry an entire landscape of hills and ancestry, while the exposed knee and swinging pleats bring physical immediacy to a figure marching, dancing, mourning, or refusing conformity.
Example
Example in poetry:
The kilt swung above the dancer’s knees like a small green banner; In the poem, a weathered kilt carries the hills and wind of home; The poet uses the kilt’s tartan pattern to suggest family history; At the festival, his kilt keeps time with the drums and stamping feet
Additional Notes
A kilt is a pleated wraparound garment traditionally associated with Scottish dress. Modern kilts may use tartan, a patterned woolen fabric linked with Scottish clans and regions, though kilts can also be made in other materials and styles. The garment is worn around the waist and commonly reaches the knees.
Also Known As
Tartan Skirt
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