ket

K5E1T1
/kɛt/

noun

A column vector, in Hilbert space, especially as representing the state of a quantum mechanical system; the complex conjugate transpose of a bra (a row vector); a ket vector. Symbolised by |...〉.

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 7

Meanings

ket1

nounket (plural kets)

plural kets

  1. quantum mechanicslinear algebraA column vector, in Hilbert space, especially as representing the state of a quantum mechanical system; the complex conjugate transpose of a bra (a row vector); a ket vector. Symbolised by |...〉.

    A particular ket, say #124;A#92;rangle, might be represented by a particular column vector. Its corresponding bra, #92;langleA#124;, would then be represented by the row vector which is the transpose conjugate of that column vector.

ket2

nounket (countable and uncountable, plural kets)

plural kets

  1. Northern EnglandcountableuncountableCarrion; any filth.
  2. NorthumbriacountableuncountableSweetmeats.
  3. WearsidecountableuncountableA sweet, treat or candy.

ket3

nounket (uncountable)
  1. colloquialuncountableketamine

ket4

nounket (uncountable)
  1. Scotlanduncountablematted wool

Ket5

nounKet (plural Kets or Ket)

plural Kets

  1. A member of a people of Krasnoyarsk Krai in Central Siberia, Russia.
proper noun
  1. A river in Russia, a tributary of the Ob.
  2. The Yeniseian language of the Ket people.

    Synonyms: Kettish

Ket6

nounKet (plural Kets)

plural Kets

  1. informalA native or inhabitant of Brussels.

    Synonyms: Brusseler

KET7

proper noun
  1. rail transportThe station code of Kennedy Town in Hong Kong.

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounThe Yeniseian language of the Ket people.

Similar

nounA native or inhabitant of Brussels.

Similar
Opposite

Origin

ket · noun

From bra-ket notation invented by Paul Dirac, from bracket.

Full word history & related roots →

ket · noun

  1. Proto-Germanic*ketwą
  2. Englishket

Probably of Old Norse origin like kjǫt (“meat”), from Proto-Germanic *ketwą. Compare Icelandic kjöt (“flesh”); akin to Swedish kött, Danish kød, and Norwegian kjøtt. The use of the term ket for "candy" or "sweets" probably derived from its use to describe sweet meats or as a deterrent to children.

Full word history & related roots →

Ket · noun, proper noun

  1. ketкеʼт“human being”
  2. EnglishKet

Learned borrowing from Ket кеʼт (keˀt, “human being”), via Russian.

Full word history & related roots →

Ket · noun

  1. Proto-West Germanic*kitte
  2. Middle Dutch*kitte
  3. Dutchket
  4. DutchKet
  5. EnglishKet

Borrowed from Dutch Ket, derived from Dutch ket, Middle Dutch *kitte, Proto-West Germanic *kitte.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian кет
  • кет (ket)Translations
Chinese 愒語 /愒语, 愒语
  • 愒語 /愒语language
  • 愒语 (Kài yǔ)language
Chinese Mandarin 右矢
  • 右矢 (yòushǐ)Translations
Czech ketština
  • ketštinalanguage
Dutch Ket
  • Ketlanguage
Esperanto Keta lingvo
  • Keta lingvolanguage
Estonian keti keel
  • keti keellanguage
Finnish ket, ketti
  • ketTranslations
  • kettilanguage
  • ketin kielilanguage
French kete
  • ketelanguage
German Ket, Ketisch
  • KetTranslations
  • Ketischlanguage
Italian ket, ket
  • ketTranslations
  • ketlanguage
Japanese ケット, ケット語
  • ケット (ketto)Translations
  • ケット語 (Ketto-go)language
Korean 케트어
  • 케트어 (Keteu-eo)language
Norwegian ketisk
  • ketisklanguage
Polish ket, Ket
  • ketTranslations
  • Ketpeople
  • Ketkapeople
  • język ketyjskilanguage
  • język keckilanguage
Portuguese ostiaco, ostíaco
  • ostiacolanguage
  • ostíacolanguage
Russian ке́тский язы́к
  • ке́тский язы́к (kétskij jazýk)language
Spanish ket
  • ketlanguage
Swedish ketiska
  • ketiskalanguage
Tamil கெட் மொழி
  • கெட் மொழி (keṭ moḻi)language

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ket

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

ket. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ket

MLA

“ket.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ket. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ket,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ket.

Source: ket on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.