1610s, "having stilts," from stilt (n.). That of "elevated or supported by stilts" is from 1820. Figurative sense of "pompous, stuffy, formal and stiff" is first recorded 1820.
when people try to correct their speech they develop a stilted pronunciation
a stilted letter of acknowledgment
stillbirth
stillborn
stillness
stilly
stilt
stilted
Stilton
stimulant
stimulate
stimulation
stimuli