Meanings
plural peltries
- countableuncountablePelts or skins, collectively; skins with the fur on them; furs.
It has gray hair, and the fleece is sometimes sold with other peltries, but it is not worth much, although it has some odor.
1679-1680, Jasper Danckaerts, Journal of Jasper Danckaerts, 1679-16803 more examples
...those Indians informed him, that the war was not yet at an end, and that he would live better and with more safety among the French; who, in truth, do much indulge the Indians, and furnish them whatever they desire, because they employ those Indians to kill them beaver, and moose, and other peltry, whereby they gain much.
1677, Daniel Gookin, The Doings and Sufferings of the Christian Indians, page 521We met with a party of three hunters from the Sioux river; they had been out for twelve months, and collected about nine hundred dollars worth of peltries and furs.
1814, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. I.Selling his glittering goods at a great advance, he received in exchange valuable peltries and furs at a corresponding reduction.
1855, Herman Melville, Israel Potter
Origin
- Old Frenchpeleterie
- Englishpeltry
From Old French peleterie, the trade of a skinner or peltmonger (peletier). Equivalent to pelt + -ry.
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Cite this entry
peltry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peltry
“peltry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peltry. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “peltry,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peltry.
Source: peltry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.