Meaning

noun a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger

noun protective covering that provides protection from the weather

noun the condition of being protected

originFrom Middle English sheltron, sheldtrume (“roof or wall formed by locked shields”), from Old English sċildtruma, sċyldtruma (“a phalanx, company (of troops), a tortoise, a covering, shed, shelter”, literally “shield-troop”), from sċyld, sċield (“shield”) + truma (“a troop of soldiers”). Cognate with Scots schilthrum, schiltrum. More at shield, and Old English trymman (“to strengthen”), from trum…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0