Shelter
/ˈʃɛltər/noun
A place or thing that protects someone or something from danger, weather, or attack.
Did you know?The word is ultimately tied to Old English scield, meaning “shield,” so the idea of shelter began as protection you could carry into battle.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skelduz
“shield”
Old English
OE
scield
“shield; protective cover”
Middle English
ME
shelteren
“to protect, defend, or give cover”
14th Century
English
shelter
“protection or a place of protection”
Modern English
English
shelter
“a place giving protection from danger or weather”