stiletto

/stəˈlɛdoʊ/

/stɪˈlɛtəʊ/

Other forms: stilettos

A killer in an old British mystery novel might carry a stiletto — a long, sharp, needle-like knife that's used for stabbing.

Whether denoting a small dagger, a high heel, or sharp-pointed tool, this word from Italian always means business. It follows the rule, reliable ninety percent of the time, when doubts arise about spelling Italian imports: the double consonant follows the accented syllable. The root is the Latin word stilus, which means "pointed writing instrument."

Definitions of stiletto

1. noun

   a small dagger with a tapered blade
   type of:

   dagger, sticker

   a short knife with a pointed blade used for piercing or stabbing
2. noun

   a shoe with a very thin, very high heel
   type of:

   shoe

   footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material