Meanings
fitting1
comparative more fitting · superlative most fitting
- That fits.
- Chiefly preceded by a descriptive adverb or noun: that fits in some manner (often closely) to the shape or size of something.
close-fitting form-fitting ill-fitting
1 more example
Certainly, in her well-fitting light-blue dress— […] she was a remarkable Cinderella.
1866, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter VII, in Felix Holt, the Radical […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, page 222 - figurativelyAppropriate, suitable, proper.
"The other side is gonna say you ain't fitten to be governor."
1949, Dorothy M. Johnson, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; in Indian Country, London: Corgi, 1961, page 1065 more examples
O my ſvveet ſir, nevves fitting to the night, / Blacke, fearefull, comfortleſſe, and horrible.
c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi], page 21, column 2Though all your actions are noble, though your ſentiments ſpeak the purity of your ſoul, is it fitting that I ſhould accompany you alone into theſe perplexed retreats? ſhould vve be found together, vvhat vvould a cenſorious vvorld think of my conduct?
1764 December 24 (indicated as 1765), Onuphrio Muralto, translated by William Marshal [pseudonyms; Horace Walpole], chapter III, in The Castle of Otranto, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Lownds […], →OCLC, page 122Cast with him here in this forlorn estate, / In all things for the man she was a fitting mate.
1825, Robert Southey, “Canto I”, in A Tale of Paraguay, London: […] [A[ndrew] & R[obert] Spottiswoode] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, […], →OCLC, stanza 26, page 32The last regular steam-hauled passenger train between Glasgow and Helensburgh Central was given a fitting send-off from Queen Street Low Level at 11.2 p.m. on Friday, November 4.
1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is Opened”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 712It was a fitting scoreline on the club's landmark anniversary, and appropriate that [Robin] Van Persie should get the winner.
2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1 – 0 Everton”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 01 May 2023Synonyms: becoming, condign, fit, seemly, allowable, appropriate, apropos, apposite · Antonyms: unfitting, bad, discommensurate, improper, inappropriate, malapropos, inapt, incommensurate
plural fittings
- countablegerundgerund of fit: an act of making something fit (“conform in shape and size; be suitable for; etc.”).
curve fitting
2 more examples
As soon as we received our orders to proceed to Spithead, Mr. Somerville, who had kept his house at Blackheath while the ship was fitting, in hopes that my promotion might have taken place before she was ready, now prepared to quit the place.
1829, [Frederick Marryat], chapter IV, in The Naval Officer; or, Scenes and Adventures in the Life of Frank Mildmay. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 96[T]he fitting of cushions where they would not slip, the rounding of corners for more delicate repose; […] the perfect fitting of windows, on which one-half the comfort of a travelling carriage really depends; […] —all this was an imaginary journey in itself, with every pleasure, and none of the discomfort, of practical travelling.
1886, John Ruskin, “Schaffhausen and Milan”, in Præterita. Outlines of Scenes and Thoughts Perhaps Worthy of Memory in My Past Life, volume I, Orpington, Kent: George Allen, →OCLC, page 179 - uncountablebusinessThe process of fitting up; especially, of applying skilled methods to the installation of components to machines or other products.
alternative fittin · alternative fittin'
- gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of fit
fitting2
Fitting3
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveAppropriate, suitable, proper.
nounA removable item (such as a carpet, a movable piece of furniture, or a picture) in a house or other building, which can be taken with one when moving out.
More synonyms by meaning
nounmaking or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
noun(usually in the plural) furnishings and equipment (especially for a ship or hotel)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
fitting · adjective, noun, verb
From fit (“to conform to in shape or size; to be suitable for”, verb) + -ing (suffix forming present participles of verbs, and gerunds and nouns denoting the act of doing something or the embodiment of an action).
Full word history & related roots →fitting · noun
From fit (“to suffer a fit (‘convulsion, seizure’)”, verb) + -ing (suffix forming gerunds and nouns denoting the act of doing something or the embodiment of an action).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἁρμόδιος, ἐπιεικής
- ἁρμόδιος (harmódios)appropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- ἐπιεικής (epieikḗs)appropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- πρόσφορος (prósphoros)appropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
Bulgarian подходящ, проба
- подходящ (podhodjašt)appropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- проба (proba)act of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- фитинг (fiting)component or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Catalan adequat, apropiat
- adequatappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- apropiatappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- emprovaact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
Chinese Mandarin 配件
- 配件 (pèijiàn)component or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Czech kování
- kovánícomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Dutch koppeling
- koppelingstandardized part of a piping system used to connect sections of pipe together
Esperanto konvena, taŭga
- konvenaappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- taŭgaappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
Finnish mukautuva, myötäävä
- mukautuvathat fits in some manner to the shape or size of something
- myötääväthat fits in some manner to the shape or size of something
- sopivathat fits in some manner to the shape or size of something
- osuvaappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- sopivaappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- sovitusact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- helacomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- irto-osacomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- liitoskappalestandardized part of a piping system used to connect sections of pipe together
- yhdyskappalestandardized part of a piping system used to connect sections of pipe together
- yhdestandardized part of a piping system used to connect sections of pipe together
- sovittaminenprocess of fitting up
- kokoaminenprocess of fitting up
- kalusteetremovable item in a house or other building
- sovittaminenact of making something fit
- kouristeluaction or condition of having one or more fits
French approprié, conforme
- appropriéappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- conformeappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- convenableappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- essayageact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- coupleurstandardized part of a piping system used to connect sections of pipe together
German angemessen, gebührend
- angemessenappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- gebührendappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- geeignetappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- passendappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- rechtappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- Anpassenact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- Anpassungact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- Anprobeact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- Anprobierenact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- Armaturcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Elementcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Formstückcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Maschinenteilcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Passstückcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Paßstückcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Teilcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- Zubehörcomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Hungarian helyénvaló, illő
- helyénvalóappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- illőappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- megfelelőappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- méltóappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- próbaact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- felpróbálásact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- illesztésprocess of fitting up
Irish diongbháilte, fóirsteanach
- diongbháilteappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- fóirsteanachappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- oiriúnachappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- gabháilact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
Japanese フィッティング
- フィッティング (fittingu)component or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Māori whakarawe
- whakarawecomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Polish akuratny, stosowny
- akuratnyappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- stosownyappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- właściwyappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- przymiarkaact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
Portuguese apropriado, cabível
- apropriadoappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- cabívelappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- provaact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
Romanian probă
- probăact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
Russian подходя́щий, приме́рка
- подходя́щий (podxodjáščij)appropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- приме́рка (primérka)act of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- фи́тинг (fíting)component or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- гарниту́ра (garnitúra)component or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- освети́тельные прибо́ры (osvetítelʹnyje pribóry)component or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
- ме́бель (mébelʹ)removable item in a house or other building
Scottish Gaelic freagarrach, iomchaidh
- freagarrachappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- iomchaidhappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
Spanish aparejado, idóneo
- aparejadoappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- idóneoappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- indicadoappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- venir bienappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
- entalladuraact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- entallamientoact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- talladuraact of trying on an item of clothing to adjust or inspect how well it fits
- montajecomponent or part of a device or machine, especially one that is standardized and replaceable
Swedish lagom
- lagomappropriate, suitable — see also appropriate, suitable, adequate, apt, convenient, favorable, opportune
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with fitting
All rhymes →Cite this entry
fitting. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fitting
“fitting.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fitting. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fitting,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fitting.
Source: fitting on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.