Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Perhaps from sheltron 'group of fighting soldiers protected by shields' (11-16 centuries), from Old English scieldtruma, from scield 'shield' + truma 'group of soldiers'

shelter

1 noun
     
Related topics: Building
shel‧ter1
1 [uncountable]TB a place to live, considered as one of the basic needs of life:
They are in need of food and shelter.
2 [uncountable] protection from danger or from wind, rain, hot sun etc
shelter of
We reached the shelter of the caves.
in/into/under etc the shelter of something
They were standing under the shelter of a huge tree.
The men took shelter in a bombed-out farmhouse.
All around me, people were running for shelter.
shelter from
An old hut gave shelter from the storm.
3 [countable] a building where people or animals that have nowhere to live or that are in danger can stay and receive help
shelter for
a shelter for battered women
a homeless shelter (=for people who have no homes)
4 [countable]TB a building or an area with a roof over it that protects you from the weather or from danger
air-raid/bomb/fall-out shelter (=a place to keep people safe from bombs dropped by planes)
bus shelter British English (=a small structure with a roof where you wait for a bus)
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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