suit

SaySOOT/sut//suːt/

Pluralsuits

Verbsuits, suiting, suited

19 meanings of suit

Practice

1
jacket and pantsnouncountable
A matching set of clothes worn together, usually a jacket with pants.
He wore a dark blue suit to the job interview.
She bought a new suit for her first day at the office.
UsageDo not mix it up with suite, a set of rooms.
Similaroutfit, ensemble
2
be fittingverbfigurativelytransitive
To be right or good for someone or something, or to be what a person wants.
The name Shadow suits the black cat well.
A quiet job would suit him better.
Similarfit
Note
3
court casenouncountable
A case brought to a court to settle a legal claim or dispute.
Like asking a judge to decide who is right in an argument.
She filed a suit against the company for unpaid wages.
The two neighbors settled their suit out of court.
UsageSay file a suit against someone.
Similarcase, action, claim
Note
4
activity outfitnouncountable
Clothing or armor worn for a particular activity, such as swimming, space travel, or fighting.
Like special gear made for one job, the way a raincoat is made for rain.
Firefighters put on a protective suit before entering the flames.
Divers wear a thick suit to stay warm underwater.
UsageMany are compounds: swimsuit, space suit.
Note
5
look good onverbtransitive
To look right on a person and match their appearance.
That short haircut really suits you.
I think a darker shade would suit her.
UsageSay that color suits you. Fit means the right size.
Similarflatter, become
Note
6
adjust to fitverbtransitive
To change something so it fits a person, need, or situation.
She likes to suit the meals to the season, with hot soups in winter and cold salads in summer.
The builders suited the house to the hot weather by adding thick walls and wide windows.
UsageSay suit something to something else.
Similaradapt, tailor, fit, match, adjust
Note
7
verbintransitive
To match or agree with something else.
The place itself was suiting to his care.
1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”Here, suiting means fitting or matching well.
Give me not an office / That suits with me so ill.
1712, [Joseph] Addison, CatoHere, suits with means fits or matches.
Similarmatch, agree, answer
Oppositeclash, conflict
Note

Less common meanings

8
card setnouncountable
One of the four groups in a deck of cards, like hearts or spades.
Like sorting a deck into groups, with all the hearts in one pile and all the spades in another.
In this game, hearts are the strongest suit.
You must follow the suit that was led.
UsageFollow suit means do the same thing.
Note
9
bossnounslangderogatorymetonymicallycountable
A disapproving slang word for a boss or business manager.
Like calling a police officer 'a badge,' naming the person after what they wear.
A couple of suits from headquarters came to inspect the warehouse.
The suit in the corner office never talks to us.
UsageOften plural: the suits.
Similarexecutive, bureaucrat
Note
10
get dressedverbintransitive
To put clothes on someone, or to get dressed for an activity.
By dawn the knights had to suit up for battle.
The divers suited up on the boat before jumping into the sea.
UsagePeople say suit up before a game or job.
Similardress, clothe
Note
11
courtshipnouncountable
The act of trying to win someone's love, or courtship.
He gave up his suit when she married another man.
Her parents approved of the young man's suit.
UsageOften in press his (or her) suit.
Similarcourtship, proposal
Note
12
pleanouncountable
A request or plea, asking someone for something important.
Like asking a teacher to give you one more day for your homework.
Her suit for help finally reached the king.
The poor widow knelt and made her suit to the queen.
UsageUsed with to or for: a suit to the king for mercy.
Similarpetition, plea, appeal, entreaty, request
Note
13
matching setnounarchaic
A group of matching things that go together as one set.
"You must wear these to-day, my dear child," said Lord Norbourne, as, entering the dressing-room of his daughter, he laid a suit of pearls on her table
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel ChurchillHere, suit means a set of things that go together.
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14
nounIndiaPakistancountable
A woman's matching outfit of a long top and loose trousers, often worn with a scarf.
She bought a new suit for Eid, with a long kurta and matching scarf.
Her new suit has a long pink top, matching trousers and a light scarf.
Similardress, outfit
Note
15
followersnounarchaic
A group of servants and followers who travel with an important person.
Note
16
pursuit of aimnounobsolete
The act of trying hard over time to reach a goal or win something.
Thenceforth the suitt of earthly conquest shonne.
1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, suitt means the pursuit of a goal, chasing after something.
Note
17
chasenounobsolete
The act of chasing or going after someone or something.
Note
18
nounobsolete
A regular order in which things come one after another.
Every five and thirty years the same kind and suit of weather comes again.
Here, suit means an order in which things follow one another.
Note
19
noun
The complete set of sails that a ship needs to operate.

Practice

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

Origin

From Old French and Anglo-Norman words that come from Latin sequi, meaning "to follow": the pieces of clothing follow each other because they are worn together.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Suit derives from Old French and Anglo-Norman words. en.wiktionary.org
The ultimate source is Latin sequi, meaning to follow. en.wiktionary.org
The clothing meaning reflects the pieces being worn together. en.wikipedia.org