stilton
Preserved but no longer current.
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 “stilton” mean?
"that’s the STILTON," or "it’s not the STILTON," i.e., that is quite the thing, or that is not quite the thing;—affected rendering of "that is not the CHEESE," which see.
Is “stilton” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.