hilt
UK[hɪlt]US[hɪlt]
n
The handle of a weapon or tool, especially a sword, dagger, or knife.
Etymology
The word 'hilt' is a direct inheritance from Old English, tracing back to the Proto-Germanic root helt-. This root is thought to be related to the concept of holding or a handle, connecting it to other Germanic words for holding. It entered the language as a specific term for the handle of a bladed weapon and has retained this precise, concrete meaning with remarkable stability for over a millennium. Unlike many words that have fragmented or abstracted, 'hilt' remains tightly bound to its original, physical object.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It is a loanword from Old English hilt, hilte, which is of Germanic origin.
Examples
He gripped the sword firmly by the hilt.
The ornate hilt of the dagger was decorated with silver wire.
The phrase "to the hilt" means completely or to the maximum extent.