garreter
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A thief who crawls over the tops of houses, and enters garret-windows. Called also a "dancer," or "dancing-master," from the light and airy nature of his occupation.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “garreter” mean?
A thief who crawls over the tops of houses, and enters garret-windows. Called also a "dancer," or "dancing-master," from the light and airy nature of his occupation.
Is “garreter” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.