holster

From Dutch holster (“pistol-case, holster”), from Middle Low German holster, from Old Saxon *holster, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hulastrą, *hulistrą (“hull, case, covering”).

Cognate with Old English heolstor (“a covering, veil, hiding-place”), Danish hylster (“pistol case, envelope”), Icelandic hulstur (“sheath”), Gothic 𐌷𐌿𐌻𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂 (hulistr, “covering”). Compare German Halfter (“pistol case”). Related to hull, hele.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɒlstə(ɹ)/, /ˈhoʊlstə(ɹ)/

• Audio (Southern England); /ˈhɒlstə/:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlstə(ɹ), -əʊlstə(ɹ)

holster (plural holsters)

1. A case for carrying a tool, particularly a gun, safely and accessibly.
   • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Francesca Carrara. , volume III, London: Richard Bentley, , (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 35:

     Goring, like himself, had sprang forwards, first snatching a pistol from his holsters, and discharging it at him who seemed to be the chief of the party,—the man reeled and fell; but his fall was instantly avenged.

   • 2023 October 22, HarryBlank, “Waiting to Happen”, in SCP Foundation‎, archived from the original on 23 May 2024:

     Marion Wheeler took the seat, brushing the hem of her suit jacket aside to reveal a concealed holster. "You do know I carry a gun?"

2. A belt with loops or slots for carrying small tools or other equipment.

• cock holster

holster (third-person singular simple present holsters, present participle holstering, simple past and past participle holstered)

1. To put something in a holster.

• reholster

• Holters, Hetlors, orthels, hostler, Hostler

Borrowed from Low German Holster, from Middle Low German holster, from Old Saxon *holster, from Proto-Germanic *hulistrą (“covering”).

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: hol‧ster

holster m (plural holsters, diminutive holstertje n)

1. holster (leather case into which a gun fits snugly)