Dictionary

kit en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• [ˈkʰɪt]
• (US) audio
• /ˈkɪt/

Etymology

From Middle English kyt, kytt, kytte, from Middle Dutch kitte (“a wooden vessel made of hooped staves”). Related to Dutch kit (“tankard”) (see below). The further etymology is unknown. Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *kitjō-, *kut-, which would be related to the root of Dutch kot (“ramshackle house”), itself of non-Indo-European origin. The transfer of meaning to the contents of a soldier's knapsack dates to the late 18th century, extended use of any collection of necessaries used for travelling dates to the first half of the 19th century. The further widening of the sense to a collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble emerges in American English in the mid 20th century.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A circular wooden vessel, made of hooped staves.
2. (countable, uncountable) A kind of basket made especially from straw of rushes, especially for holding fish; by extension, the contents of such a basket or similar container, used as a measure of weight.
   • He was pushing a barrow on the fish dock, wheeling aluminium kits which, when full, each contain 10 stone of fish. 1961 18 Jan, Guardian (cited after OED)
3. (countable, uncountable) A collection of items forming the equipment of a soldier, carried in a knapsack.
   • Dudes! You simply have too much stuff in your kit! But don't sweat it, I can buy some stuff you don't need. 1995, HAL Laboratory, EarthBound, Nintendo, Super Nintendo Entertainment System:
4. (countable, uncountable) Any collection of items needed for a specific purpose, especially for use by a workman, or personal effects packed for travelling.
   • Always carry a good first-aid kit.
5. (countable, uncountable) A collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble.
   • I built the entire car from a kit.
6. (UK, countable, uncountable) The standard set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players.
   • A sell-out crowd of 10,000 then observed perfectly a period of silence before the team revealed their black armbands, complete with stitched-in poppies, for the match. After Fifa’s about-turn, it must have been a frantic few days for the England kit manufacturer. The on-field challenge was altogether more straightforward. 2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph:
7. (UK, countable, informal, uncountable) Clothing.
   • The Argentina fan who risked jail by getting her kit off at the World Cup final has broken her silence by posting more topless videos. 2022 December 20, “Topless Argie fan breaks silence with more nude vids as she dodges Qatar's wrath”, in The US Sun:
   • Get your kit off and come to bed.
8. (countable, informal, uncountable) A full software distribution, as opposed to a patch or upgrade.
9. (countable, uncountable) The set of skills and abilities chosen for a playable character.
10. (countable, uncountable) A drum kit.
11. (countable, dated, uncountable) The whole set; kit and caboodle.
    • Do you know the proportion between ten and twelve or thirteen? — No; I should suppose you may take the whole kit of them as thirty; and the rest are people at from twenty to forty years of age. 1818, Reports, volume 92, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords, page 82:

Forms

Deriveds

kit gun · kit bag · whole kit and kaboodle · kitter · Dopp kit · get one's kit off · press kit · minikit · sea rescue kit · kit man · survival kit · kit lens · washkit · identikit · kitome · non-WebKit · kit-cat · root kit · kitset · kikay kit · first-aid kit · beard kit · kittle · kit car · dop kit · kit and caboodle · hush kit · full kit wanker · kitless · devkit · sewing kit · kitbash · WebKit · medkit · kitbag · spill kit · rape test kit · media kit · dancing master's kit · rekit · toolkit · kit out · kit and kaboodle · rape kit · kill kit · whole kit and caboodle · tool kit · toiletry kit · mess kit · dopp kit · medikit · kit-kat · kit-violin · rootkit · take one's kit off

Hyponyms

starter kit · toolkit · football kit · pack-up kit · body kit · suicide kit · bathroom kit · toilet kit · body hygiene kit · travel kit · robot kit · airfix kit · death kit · first aid kit · toilet article kit · shaving kit · electronic kit · model kit

Translations (83)

bg екипировка (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · hu felszerelés (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · da dragt (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · ka კომპლექტი (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · hu szerelés (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · hu szerelvény (equipment of a soldier) · ru снаряже́ние (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · ka აღჭურვილობა (equipment of a soldier) · hu mez (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · hu szerszámkészlet (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · pt equipamento (equipment of a soldier) · cs sada (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · ka აღჭურვილობა (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · bg комплект (full software distribution) · es enselle (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · fi saavi (circular wooden vessel) · hu szett (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · hu felszerelés (equipment of a soldier) · hu fabödön (circular wooden vessel) · hu cókmók (equipment of a soldier) · ru экипиро́вка (equipment of a soldier) · fi pakkaus (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · it confezione (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · bg екип (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · fi pakkaus (equipment of a soldier) · ka ნაკრები (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · hu egységcsomag (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · nl uitrusting (equipment of a soldier) · hu öltözék (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · cs souprava (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · nl set (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · cs výzbroj (equipment of a soldier) · ru обору́дование (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · nl ton (circular wooden vessel) · da udstyr (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · bg бъчва (circular wooden vessel) · fi -sarja (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · pt kit (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · hu készlet (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · ru снаряже́ние (equipment of a soldier) · es kit (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · nn drakt (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · hu favödör (circular wooden vessel) · hu szoftvercsomag (full software distribution) · it armamentario (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · pl rynsztunek (equipment of a soldier) · cs výbava (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · cs výstroj (equipment of a soldier) · pt jogo (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · da udrustning (equipment of a soldier) · nb drakt (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · fi peliasu (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · pt equipagem (equipment of a soldier) · ka აღკაზმულობა (equipment of a soldier) · hu készlet (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · ka აღკაზმულობა (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · fr jeu (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · hu szerszámláda (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · cs dres (set of clothing, accessories and equipment worn by players) · hu halaskosár (kind of basket made from straw of rushes) · it armamentario (equipment of a soldier) · bg снаряжение (equipment of a soldier) · ru компле́кт (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · fi rakennussarja (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · hu csomag (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · bg комплект (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · pt kit (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · hu lapra szerelt áru (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble) · ru набо́р (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · hu csomag (full software distribution) · fr trousse (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · fi kiulu (circular wooden vessel) · nl mand (kind of basket made from straw of rushes) · pl rynsztunek (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · fi tarvikkeet (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · sv persedlar (equipment of a soldier) · ka კასრი (circular wooden vessel) · fr ensemble (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · sv utrustning (equipment of a soldier) · hu holmi (equipment of a soldier) · it equipaggiamento (equipment of a soldier) · es juego (collection of items needed for a specific purpose) · es juego (collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble)

kit en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• [ˈkʰɪt]
• (US) audio
• /ˈkɪt/

Etymology

From Middle English kyt, kytt, kytte, from Middle Dutch kitte (“a wooden vessel made of hooped staves”). Related to Dutch kit (“tankard”) (see below). The further etymology is unknown. Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *kitjō-, *kut-, which would be related to the root of Dutch kot (“ramshackle house”), itself of non-Indo-European origin. The transfer of meaning to the contents of a soldier's knapsack dates to the late 18th century, extended use of any collection of necessaries used for travelling dates to the first half of the 19th century. The further widening of the sense to a collection of parts sold for the buyer to assemble emerges in American English in the mid 20th century.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To assemble or collect something into kits.
   • We need to kit the parts for the assembly by Friday, so that manufacturing can build the tool.
2. (transitive) To equip (somebody) with something.

Forms

Synonyms

kit out · kit up

kit en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• [ˈkʰɪt]
• (US) audio
• /ˈkɪt/

Etymology

[Alt: A young red fox emerging from a burrow, looking at the camera] A short form of kitten or kitling. From the 16th century, spelled kytte, kitt. From the 19th century also extended to other young animals (beaver, fox, mink, muskrat, etc.), and to a species of small fox (kit fox). Later usage (for other animals) perhaps influenced by chit.

Meanings

1. A kitten (young cat).
2. (broadly) A cat in general.
   • “You must call them ‘squibs and crackers.’ And what would you call her?” pointing to the cat. ¶ “Cat or kit, or whatever you please, sir.” 1890, Joseph Jacobs, “Master of all Masters”, in English Fairy Tales, page 221:
3. A kit fox (Vulpes macrotis).
4. A young fox.
5. A young beaver.
6. A young ferret.
7. A young skunk.
8. A young rabbit.
9. A young weasel.

Forms

Deriveds

kittie · kitty

kit en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• [ˈkʰɪt]
• (US) audio
• /ˈkɪt/

Etymology

16th century, perhaps from cithara.

Meanings

1. Synonym of kit violin.
   • Prince Turveydrop then tinkled the strings of his kit with his fingers, and the young ladies stood up to dance. 1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:
   • A dancing master's kit. 1681, Nehemiah Grew, Musæum Regalis Societatis. Or A Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge. […], London: […] W. Rawlins, for the author, →OCLC:

Forms

Synonyms

kit violin

kit en · NOUN · etymology 4

Pronunciation

• [ˈkʰɪt]
• (US) audio
• /ˈkɪt/

Etymology

Borrowed from German kitte, Kütte (“flock of doves”) (circa 1880).

Meanings

1. (collective) A flock of pigeons, especially domesticated, trained pigeons and especially when flying together.
   • Keeping a kit of what are known as High-Flyers, is great sport for some people. 1921, John Wesley Williamson, A to Z of Pigeons: Fancy and Utility, with Latest Standards, Item Publishing Company, page 9:
   • I saw a kit of pigeons swinging round some nearby chimney pots. I marked the spot and made for the house. 2013, Old Hand, The Strain Makers: The Art of Breeding Long Distance Pigeons, Read Books Limited:
   • A kit of special birds only is released. 1924 June 14, T.P.'s and Cassell's Weekly, volume 2, page 253:

Forms