# Holt

/ˈhoʊɫt/ (US) · /hˈəʊlt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/holt
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. a small wood

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a small group of trees or a little forest on a hill.

For teachers: a small wood, grove, or copse; often used in poetry or older literature.

- The path led through a dark holt at the edge of the farmer's field.
- The poet describes a solitary bird nesting within the deep shadows of a silent holt, far from the noise of the village.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this sense survives almost exclusively in place names and surnames.

## Examples

- The otter swam back to its holt under the riverbank.
- Wildlife photographers spent weeks waiting near the river, hoping to see the cubs emerge from the holt.
- Hidden beneath the tangled roots of an ancient willow, the holt provided a secure sanctuary for the otter family away from the eyes of predators.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.