kit

kit · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*kitjō-, *kut-
2. Middle Dutch · derived fromkitte“a wooden vessel made of hooped staves”
3. Middle English · inherited fromkyt, kytt, kytte
4. English todaykit

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.

kit · noun²

[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.

kit · noun³

16th century, perhaps from cithara.

kit · noun⁴

1. German · borrowed fromkitte
2. English todaykit

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

Kit · proper noun⁵

1. Ukrainian · derived fromкіт“tomcat”
2. English todayKit

From Ukrainian кіт (kit, “tomcat”).

Words from the same roots