What does kite mean?
Kite is a familiar word with several distinct but recognizable meanings. Most commonly, it names a large bird of prey found in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, recognized by its long wings, forked tail, and graceful flight. It also refers to a lightweight flying frame, usually covered with paper, fabric, or plastic, that is pulled into the air by the wind. In mathematics, a kite is a quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent equal sides, so named because of its resemblance to the flying shape. In modern recreation, the word can refer to the wing-shaped traction device used in kiteboarding and similar sports. As a verb, to kite means to fly or guide a kite, and it can also describe something rising or moving upward like one. The word therefore connects a striking bird, an ingenious toy, a geometric form, and several modern sporting uses.
A bird of prey with long, narrow wings and a forked tail; a lightweight flying frame covered with paper, fabric, or plastic; a quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent equal sides; or a wing-shaped device used in kiteboarding.
"A colorful kite rose above the beach as the wind caught its string."
The bird sense and the toy sense are both common in everyday English. The mathematical meaning is specialized, while the traction-device sense is used chiefly in kiteboarding and related sports.
To fly or guide a kite, or to rise or move upward in the manner of a kite.
"The balloon kited upward into the clear morning sky."
The verb is less common than the noun and is often used descriptively or metaphorically.
The regular plural of the noun is kites.
"Several kites were flying above the park."
A kite can be a bird of prey, a wind-powered toy, or even a geometric shape—an unusually versatile word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kite come from?
The word descends from Old English cyte, an old name for the bird now called a kite, and is cognate with forms in several Germanic languages, including German Kite and Dutch kiek. The sense for a wind-borne toy is later, and its precise historical connection with the bird name is not certain. The geometric meaning developed from the characteristic shape of the toy.
Related word forms
How kite is actually used
The noun is common for both the bird and the wind-borne toy, while the geometric sense is chiefly used in mathematics. The verb is less frequent and commonly describes movement upward, like that of a kite; figurative uses often suggest something rising quickly or easily.