holster
/ˈhɒlstə(ɹ)/ noun, verb
Forms holsters holstering holstered
- noun A case for carrying a tool, particularly a gun, safely and accessibly.
- noun A belt with loops or slots for carrying small tools or other equipment.
- verb To put something in a holster.
Etymology
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.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [D. holster; skin to AS. heolstor den, cave, fr.helan to conceal, and to Icel. hulstr case, Goth.hulistr covering, veil, huljan to cover. sq. root17. See Hele to cover, Hell, and cf. Housing, Houss.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “holster”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details