What does kiting mean?
Kiting most often means the activity or sport of flying a kite. It can refer either to the general pastime or to organized kite flying involving specially designed kites, competitions, or demonstrations. In this sense, it is neutral and familiar in everyday English, although the fuller phrase “kite flying” may sound slightly more formal. Kiting also has a specialized financial meaning in chiefly North American usage: the fraudulent practice of writing checks or cheques against an account that lacks sufficient funds, usually hoping to cover them with later deposits before they are presented. This second sense is strongly negative and is often discussed in connection with banking or legal investigations. As a verb form, “kiting” is the present participle of “kite” and describes someone engaging in the activity. The word is useful because it names both a familiar outdoor pastime and a distinctly modern form of financial wrongdoing.
The activity or sport of flying a kite. In specialized, chiefly North American usage, it also refers to the fraudulent use of checks or cheques written against accounts without sufficient funds.
"Kiting is popular at the beach whenever the wind is strong."
The kite-flying sense is normally uncountable; the fraudulent sense is technical and strongly negative.
To fly a kite; used as the present participle of “kite.”
"They spent the afternoon kiting in the park."
This is a verb form rather than an independent verb in ordinary use.
Kiting is normally an uncountable noun, especially when referring to the activity or practice.
"Kiting has become a popular hobby for people of all ages."
Kiting has bird-of-prey ancestry: the word “kite” originally named a predatory bird before the lightweight flying kite borrowed its name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kiting come from?
The activity word “kiting” was formed from “kite” with the gerund suffix “-ing.” “Kite” descends from Old English “gēat,” a word for a bird of prey, usually identified as a kite. The bird's name was subsequently applied to the lightweight flying device, from which the modern activity developed.
How kiting is actually used
The kite-flying sense is neutral and widely understood, although “kite flying” is often more formal than “kiting.” The bad-check sense is specialized, strongly negative, and chiefly associated with North American business and legal usage.
Easily confused with kiting
A kite is the flying object or the bird of prey, whereas kiting normally names the activity of flying a kite or, less commonly, the fraudulent use of bad checks.