DictionaryRoot: hælfter
Old English
hælfter
rope for leading a horse
1 / 1
noun / verb
halter
HAWL-ter/ˈhɔːltər/
A harness fitted around an animal’s head for leading or tying it.
Etymology
Old English hælfter named a rope for leading a horse. Its relationship to helve, a tool handle, connects the harness with the broader idea of holding or controlling something.