"screened, protected," 1590s, past-participle adjective from shelter (v.). The meaning "protected from life's usual hardships" is from 1888 (in sheltered life). Related: Shelteredness.
Entries linking to sheltered
shelter v.
1580s, "to screen, protect," from exposure, attack, injury, etc., from shelter (n.); in the income investment sense, "protect from taxation," by 1955. The intransitive meaning "to take shelter" is from 1590s. Related: Sheltered; sheltering.