# hilt

> English word · Noun · IPA /hɪlt/ · frequency rank #32,844

## Definitions
1. The handle of a sword, consisting of grip, guard, and pommel, designed to facilitate use of the blade and afford protection to the hand.
2. The base of the penis.

## Etymology
From Middle English hilt, hilte, from Old English hilt, hilte, from Proto-Germanic *heltą, *heltǭ, *heltō, *hiltijō, (compare Old Norse hjalt, Old High German helza, Old Saxon helta), from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to strike, cut”) (see holt).

## Easily confused with
- **his** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-his)
- **him** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-him)
- **hit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hit)
- **hot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hot)
- **hip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hip)
- **HIV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hiv)
- **hut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hut)
- **HRT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hrt)
- **hin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hin)
- **hold** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hold)
- **hurt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hurt)
- **holy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-holy)
- **host** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-host)
- **hole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hole)
- **hits** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hits)
- **hunt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hunt)
- **hire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hire)
- **hint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hint)
- **hull** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hull)
- **hips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hilt-vs-hips)

## Common misspellings (6)
`hhilt`, `hillt`, `hiltt`, `hitl`, `hlit`, `ihlt`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hilt