pelter

Pelter is a noun derived from the verb pelt, meaning to strike or bombard with missiles or other thrown objects. A pelter is a person who pelts something or someone, typically by throwing stones, snow, or debris. The term is often used in general descriptions of individuals who engage in throwing during confrontations, riots, or large demonstrations.

In contemporary usage, pelter frequently appears in news reporting to refer to participants who hurl stones or other projectiles at police, vehicles, or buildings. It is a descriptive label rather than an appraisal, though contexts surrounding its use may carry political or legal implications depending on the event being described. The phrase stone pelter is especially common in reporting about protests or clashes in various regions, including parts of South Asia, where stone-throwing incidents have been a recurring feature of unrest.

Beyond its social or political connotations, pelter can also function as a surname or place name, and it is occasionally encountered in historical or literary texts as a nominal agent derived from pelt. There is no widely recognized technical device or tool specifically named a pelter.

See also: pelt, stone throwing, riot terminology, pelting.