kit

KIT/kɪt/

Pluralkits

Verbkits, kitting, kitted

16 meanings of kit

Practice

1
packed thingsnouncountable or uncountable
A set of tools, equipment, clothes, or other things you need for a job, activity, or trip.
Like a bag you fill with everything you need for one job.
He packed his kit the night before the early flight.
Every plumber carries a kit of basic tools to each call.
UsageOften first-aid kit or tool kit.
Similargear, equipment, outfit
2
model setnouncountable or uncountable
A set of parts you buy and put together yourself.
Like a box of pieces you put together, the way you build with blocks.
She bought a model airplane kit for her son's birthday.
The bookshelf came as a kit with screws and instructions.
3
drumsnouncountable or uncountable
A set of drums and cymbals played by one person.
Like one big instrument made of several drums you play at once.
She set up her kit on the small stage before the show.
The drummer tuned his kit while the band waited.
Similarset
Note
4
team uniformnounUKcountable or uncountable
The clothes and gear that players on a team wear.
Like a school uniform, but for a sports team.
The whole team wore matching kit for the final.
Our team wears a red and white kit for home games.
UsageOften home kit or away kit. Americans usually say uniform.
Similarstrip, uniform, outfit
Note
5
equipverbtransitive
To give someone the clothes or gear they need.
Like packing a bag for someone so they have all they need.
The store kitted us out with boots and rain jackets for the hike.
Volunteers kit every new recruit with boots and a coat.
UsageUsually kit someone out with gear.
Similarequip, outfit, supply, provide, furnish
6
young foxnouncountable
A baby fox, rabbit, beaver, ferret, skunk, or similar small furry animal.
Like a puppy, but for a fox.
The vixen led her kit back toward the den.
Two kits tumbled together outside the fox's burrow.
Similarcub, kitten

Less common meanings

7
clothesnouncolloquialUKcountable or uncountable
Clothes, especially the clothes that someone is wearing.
Like calling your clothes your 'gear' or 'stuff.'
He took off his wet kit after the rain.
Get your kit on, we're leaving in five minutes.
UsageGet your kit off is a joking way to say take your clothes off.
Similarclothes, gear, togs, garb
Note
8
all of itnoundatedcountable or uncountable
The whole lot of something, all of it together.
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, Great Britain. Parliament. House of LordsHere, the whole kit means all of them together.
UsageNow mostly in the whole kit and caboodle.
Similarlot, caboodle, shebang
Note
9
group into setsverbtransitive
To gather parts or items together into ready-to-use sets.
Like putting all the pieces for one job into a single box.
Workers kit the parts before they reach the assembly line.
Warehouse workers kit the parts so each builder gets a complete set.
Similarassemble, bundle, package
Note
10
character skillsnouncountable or uncountable
The skills and powers a game character has.
Like the special moves a game character is given to use.
This hero's kit is great for players who like to heal.
His kit lets him teleport across the map.
Similarmoveset
Note
11
nounrare
A small wild fox of dry parts of western North America, with very large ears.
12
nouncolloquial
A complete software package, not just a small update.
13
noun
A very small violin, easy to carry in a pocket.
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…
14
noun
A basket made from straw or reeds for holding fish, or the amount of fish one basket holds.
He was pushing a barrow on the fish dock, wheeling aluminium kits which, when full, each contain 10 stone of fish.
1961, Guardian (cited after OED)
15
noundialectal
A round wooden tub made from curved strips of wood held together by hoops.
16
noun
A group of trained pigeons that fly together.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of kit apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–5, 7–10

It comes from Middle English kyt, which came from Middle Dutch kitte. A kitte was a wooden container made of strips of wood held together with hoops. Later the word meant a soldier's gear, and then any set of things.

Meaning 6

A short form of kitten or kitling, used since the 16th century. Later it was used for other young animals too.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Kit is a short form of kitten or kitling. en.wiktionary.org
Kit in this sense dates to the 16th century. en.wiktionary.org
Kit was later extended to other young animals. en.wiktionary.org