Aloft

Pronunciation

• US enPR: É™-lôft', IPA: /əˈlÉ”ft/Rhymes: -ɔːft
• US enPR: É™-lŏft', IPA: /əˈlÉ‘ft/
• RP enPR: É™-lŏft', IPA: /əˈlÉ’ft/Rhymes: -É’ft

Origin

From Old Norse á lopti ("in the sky")

Full definition of aloft

Adverb

1. in the air; in the skyhigh winds aloft
2. above, overhead, in a high place; up
• 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, :Someone's turned the chest out alow and aloft.
• 1954, William Golding, :He noticed that he still held the knife aloft and brought his arm down, replacing the blade in the sheath.
3. (nautical) in the top, at the masthead, or on the higher yards or rigging.
• 1859, James Fenimore Cooper, The Red Rover: A Tale:I think you said something concerning the manner in which yonder ship has anchored, and of the condition they keep things alow and aloft?

Related terms

• loft
• lofty

Anagrams

• float