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fit

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: FIT, FiT, -fit, -fít, and fît

Translingual

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Etymology

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Abbreviation of English Finnish Tornedalian.

Symbol

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fit

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Meänkieli.

See also

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English

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /fɪt/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪt

Etymology 1

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Possibly from Middle English fit (an adversary of equal power), of uncertain further origin. The original sense appears to have been "to marshal or deploy troops", which shifted to "to suit (troops to a certain location" > "suitable", and may be further related to Icelandic fitja (to web, knit, cast on).[1]

Adjective

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fit (comparative fitter, superlative fittest)

  1. Suitable; proper
    You have nothing to say about it. I'll do exactly as I see fit.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, [] (King James Version), London: [] Robert Barker, [], →OCLC, Job 34:18:
      Is it fit to say a king, Thou art wicked?
    • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
      He had drunk more than was fit for him, and he was singing some light song, when he saw approaching, as he said, the pale horse mentioned in the Revelation, with Death seated as the rider.
    • 2005, Lesley Brown, Sophist, translation of original by Plato, 243d:
      The rest we'll leave to be examined later, if we think fit;
    • 2015 February 1, Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary[1], archived from the original on 14 May 2024:
      Sergeant Schlock has no horse, no armor, and no sword, but even the mightiest Mongol horse-warrior would see in him a fit heir.
  2. Adapted to a purpose or environment.
    survival of the fittest
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
      That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in.
    • 2019 May 28, Ariane de Vogue, “Why Clarence Thomas wrote over a dozen pages on eugenics”, in CNN[2]:
      Wading through history, he noted that some eugenicists believed that the “distinction between the fit and the unfit could be drawn along racial lines,” and others would define a person as “feeble-minded.”
  3. In good shape; physically well.
    You don't have to be a good climber for Kilimanjaro, but you do have to be fit.
  4. (British, informal, chiefly slang) Sexually attractive; good-looking; fanciable.
    I think the girl working in the office is fit.
    • 1985, “Sweaty Betty”, in Beer & Sex & Chips n Gravy, performed by Macc Lads:
      Got my hands down her jeans and I nearly lost half my arm / But after ten pints, she looked quite fit
    • 2004, Mike Skinner, “Fit but You Know It”, in A Grand Don't Come for Free, performed by The Streets:
      I think you are really fit / You're fit but my gosh don't you know it.
    • 2007, “Foundations”, in Kate Nash, Paul Eppworth (lyrics), Made of Bricks, performed by Kate Nash:
      I said I'd rather be with your friends, mate, cos they are much fitter.
  5. (obsolete) Prepared; ready.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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fit (third-person singular simple present fits, present participle fitting, simple past and past participle fitted or fit)

  1. (transitive) To be suitable for.
    It fits the purpose.
    • 1918, Richard Dennis Teall Hollister, Speech-making, publ. George Wahr, pg. 81:
      The speaker should be certain that his subject fits the occasion.
  2. (intransitive) To have sufficient space available at some location to be able to be there.
    Ten clowns fit in the car, but not a hundred.
    The elevator can fit up to 10 people.
  3. (transitive) To conform to in size and shape.
    The small shirt doesn't fit me, so I'll buy the medium size.
    If I lose a few kilos, the gorgeous wedding dress might fit me.
  4. (intransitive) To be of the right size and shape
    Synonym: sit
    • 2001, “Schism”, in Maynard James Keenan (lyrics), Adam Jones, Danny Carey, Maynard James Keenan, and Justin Chancellor (music), Lateralus, performed by Tool, track 5:
      I know the pieces fit / 'Cause I watched them fall away
    • 2016 February 2, Kate Winslet et al., Jimmy Kimmel Live![3]:
      Even though in a way you let him freeze to death in the water, because the way I see it... / I agree. Y'know, I think he actually could have fitted on that bit of door. / There was plenty of room on the raft. / I know. I know, I know.
    I wanted to borrow my little sister's jeans, but they didn't fit.
    That plug fit into the other socket, but it won't go in this one.
  5. (transitive, with to) To make conform in size and shape.
    I want to fit the drapes to the windows.
    1. (transitive) To tailor; to change to the appropriate size.
      I had a suit fitted by the tailor.
  6. (transitive) To be in agreement with.
    These definitions fit most of the usage.
    • 2004 October 14, Don Ringe, “Old English maþelian, mæþlan, mǣlan”, in J. H. W. Penney, editor, Indo-European Perspectives: Studies in Honour of Anna Morpurgo Davies[4], Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 427:
      Type D half-lines ending in words of this type are analysed by Hutcheson as ending in two completely unstressed syllables. That analysis must be descriptively correct for, say, the 10th cent.; whether it would have fitted the facts in the 8th cent. is much less clear.
  7. (transitive) To adjust.
    The regression program fit a line to the data.
  8. (transitive) To attach, especially when requiring exact positioning or sizing.
    • 2012 May 13, Andrew Benson, “Williams's Pastor Maldonado takes landmark Spanish Grand Prix win”, in BBC Sport[5]:
      Williams had a problem fitting his left rear tyre and that left Alonso only 3.1secs adrift when he rejoined from his final stop three laps later.
  9. (transitive) To equip or supply.
    The chandler will fit us with provisions for a month.
  10. (transitive) To make ready.
    Synonym: (US, informal) fix to
    I’m fitting the ship for a summer sail home.
    I’m fitting to go home and sleep.
    • 1846, Lyndall Gordon, quoting Emily Dickinson, letter, quoted in Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds, published 2010:
      'I am fitting to go to South Hadley Seminary [as Mount Holyoke was known], and expect if my health is good to enter that institution a year from next fall', she confided to Abiah.
    • 1871, Florence Nightingale, Una and the Lion, page 12:
      Thirty years ago, if a girl wished for training, there was none to be had. I can truly say there was no training to be had to fit a woman thoroughly for any life whatever.
  11. (intransitive, archaic) To be seemly.
  12. To be proper or becoming.
  13. (intransitive) To be in harmony.
    Synonym: mesh
    The paint, the fabrics, the rugs all fit.
Usage notes
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Noun

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fit (plural fits)

  1. The degree to which something fits.
    This shirt is a bad fit.
    Since he put on weight, his jeans have been a tight fit.
  2. Conformity of elements one to another.
    It's hard to get a good fit using second-hand parts.
  3. The part of an object upon which anything fits tightly.
  4. (advertising) Measure of how well a particular commercial execution captures the character or values of a brand.
    The Wonder Bread advertising research results showed the “White Picket Fence” commercial had strong fit ratings.
  5. (statistics) Goodness of fit.
  6. (bridge) The quality of a partnership's combined holding of cards in a suit, particularly of trump.
    During the auction, it is often a partnership's goal to find an eight-card major suit fit.
Usage notes
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Usually used in the singular preceded by an indefinite article and an adjective.

Derived terms
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Translations
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References

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  • (advertising): The Advertising Research Handbook Charles E. Young, Ideas in Flight, Seattle, Washington, April 2005

Etymology 2

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Unknown, possibly from Old English fitt (song), or from the sense of fitted to length. Compare Old Saxon *fittea (attested in the borrowed Latin vittea).

Noun

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fit (plural fits)

  1. (archaic) A section of a poem or ballad.

References

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  • Oxford English Dictionary: fit, fyte n. 1

Etymology 3

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    Unknown. From Middle English fit (hardship, danger), possibly from Old English fitt (conflict)—a word which only occurs once.[2] Compare Cornish fit (game match, bout); or else, maybe cognate with Italian fitta (sudden and stabbing pain) (see further at Latin fīgere).

    Noun

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    fit (plural fits)

    1. A seizure or convulsion.
      My grandfather died after having a fit.
    2. (medicine) A sudden and vigorous appearance of a symptom over a short period of time.
    3. A sudden outburst of emotion.
      Synonyms: spell, moment
      Hyponyms: blowout, tantrum, hissy, hissy fit, shit fit, snit, snit fit, duck fit
      He had a laughing fit which lasted more than ten minutes.
      She had a fit and threw all of his clothes out through the window.
      He threw a fit (of temper) when his car broke down.
    4. A sudden burst (of an activity).
      Synonyms: flurry, frenzy, paroxysm
      • 2007 July 9, Ryan J. Foley, “Wisconsin city's largest employer threatens to leave over ethanol”, in Associated Press:
        A fit of spring-cleaning led Eric Brooks to a box of old newspaper clips from 1997.
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    Verb

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    fit (third-person singular simple present fits, present participle fitting, simple past and past participle fitted)

    1. (intransitive, medicine) To suffer a fit.
      • 2016 May 18, “Three dogs die and seven more ill after drinking from the same Kent lake amid contamination fears”, in The Telegraph:
        A spokesman said: "It is believed they (the dogs) got into the lake and drank from it. They came out and started fitting. Shortly after that three of them died and vets are attempting to resuscitate the other one."

    Etymology 4

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    Formed from fight on the model of bite:bit and light:lit.

    Verb

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    fit

    1. (African-American Vernacular, Ireland, Southern US, dated) simple past and past participle of fight; fought.
      • 1867 November, unknown author, The Galaxy, volume 4, New York: W.C. & F.P. Church, retrieved 27 October 2023, page 883:
        There wonst was two cats in Kilkenny; / And aich thought there was one cat too many. /   So they quarrelled and fit; /   And they scratched, and they bit; /    Till, excepting their tails /    And some scraps of their nails, / Instead of two cats there wan't any.
      • c. 19th century, unknown author, Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
        Joshua fit the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down
      • a. 1940, Mildred Haun, “Shin-Bone Rocks”, in The Hawk's Done Gone, page 218:
        He didn't just set around and try to out sweettalk[sic] somebody; he got out and out-fit somebody. He wouldn't be blowing when he told his boys how he fit for the woman he got.

    Etymology 5

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    Clipping of outfit.

    Noun

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    fit (plural fits)

    1. (slang) An outfit, a set of clothing.
      How do you like the fit?
      • 2025 March 17, Andrew Marantz, “The Battle for the Bros”, in The New Yorker[6], →ISSN:
        Piker had already shown off his “cozy-ass ’fit” (sweatpants with kitschy bald eagles, a custom pair of platform Crocs), and recounted his experience the previous night at the Streamer Awards, a red-carpet event honoring A-listers on Twitch—the popular live-streaming site where he is one of the biggest stars, and the only prominent leftist.

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    References

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    Anagrams

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    Albanian

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    Etymology 1

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    (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

    Noun

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    fit m (plural fite, definite fiti)

    1. wedge
      Synonym: pykë
    2. (figurative) provocation
      Synonyms: spica, kalla
    Declension
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    Declension of fit
    singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative fit fiti fite fitet
    accusative fitin
    dative fiti fitit fiteve fiteve
    ablative fitesh
    Derived terms
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    Etymology 2

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    Back-formation from fitoj (to profit).[1]

    Noun

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    fit m (definite fiti)

    1. (archaic) profit, gain
      Synonym: fitim

    Adverb

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    fit (colloquial)

    1. even, quits
      Synonyms: barabar, pat

    References

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    1. ^ Meyer, G. (1891), “fitóń”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch der albanesischen Sprache [Etymological Dictionary of the Albanian Language] (in German), Strasbourg: Karl J. Trübner, →DOI, page 106

    Further reading

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    • FGJSSH: Fjalor i gjuhës së sotme shqipe [Dictionary of the modern Albanian language]‎[7], 1980, page 477

    Azerbaijani

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    Etymology

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    Onomatopoeic.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    fit (definite accusative fiti, plural fitlər)

    1. whistle
    2. siren (a device that makes a piercingly loud sound as an alarm or signal, or the sound from such a device)

    Declension

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    Declension of fit
    singular plural
    nominative fitfitlər
    definite accusative fitifitləri
    dative fitəfitlərə
    locative fitdəfitlərdə
    ablative fitdənfitlərdən
    definite genitive fitinfitlərin
    Possessive forms of fit
    nominative
    singular plural
    mənim (my) fitim fitlərim
    sənin (your) fitin fitlərin
    onun (his/her/its) fiti fitləri
    bizim (our) fitimiz fitlərimiz
    sizin (your) fitiniz fitləriniz
    onların (their) fiti or fitləri fitləri
    accusative
    singular plural
    mənim (my) fitimi fitlərimi
    sənin (your) fitini fitlərini
    onun (his/her/its) fitini fitlərini
    bizim (our) fitimizi fitlərimizi
    sizin (your) fitinizi fitlərinizi
    onların (their) fitini or fitlərini fitlərini
    dative
    singular plural
    mənim (my) fitimə fitlərimə
    sənin (your) fitinə fitlərinə
    onun (his/her/its) fitinə fitlərinə
    bizim (our) fitimizə fitlərimizə
    sizin (your) fitinizə fitlərinizə
    onların (their) fitinə or fitlərinə fitlərinə
    locative
    singular plural
    mənim (my) fitimdə fitlərimdə
    sənin (your) fitində fitlərində
    onun (his/her/its) fitində fitlərində
    bizim (our) fitimizdə fitlərimizdə
    sizin (your) fitinizdə fitlərinizdə
    onların (their) fitində or fitlərində fitlərində
    ablative
    singular plural
    mənim (my) fitimdən fitlərimdən
    sənin (your) fitindən fitlərindən
    onun (his/her/its) fitindən fitlərindən
    bizim (our) fitimizdən fitlərimizdən
    sizin (your) fitinizdən fitlərinizdən
    onların (their) fitindən or fitlərindən fitlərindən
    genitive
    singular plural
    mənim (my) fitimin fitlərimin
    sənin (your) fitinin fitlərinin
    onun (his/her/its) fitinin fitlərinin
    bizim (our) fitimizin fitlərimizin
    sizin (your) fitinizin fitlərinizin
    onların (their) fitinin or fitlərinin fitlərinin

    Derived terms

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    Catalan

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    Etymology

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    Inherited from Latin fīctus, archaic past participle of fīgō (to fasten, fix). Doublet of fix (fixed).

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    fit (feminine fita, masculine plural fits, feminine plural fites)

    1. fixed, steady (of eyes, regard, etc.)

    Derived terms

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    Noun

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    fit m (plural fits)

    1. target
      Synonym: fitó

    Further reading

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    Chinese

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    Pronunciation

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    Etymology 1

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    Borrowed from English fit.

    Adjective

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    fit

    1. (Cantonese) fit (physically well; in good shape)
    Alternative forms
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    Derived terms
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    Etymology 2

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    Irregular romanisation of [script needed] (fit1).

    Noun

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    fit

    1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) used in 符fit揸fit
    Alternative forms
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    Etymology 3

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    Onomatopoeic.

    Verb

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    fit

    1. (Cantonese) to whip
    Alternative forms
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    Etymology 4

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    Clipping of English fitting room.

    Noun

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    fit

    1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) fitting room

    Czech

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    Etymology

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    Borrowed from English fit. First attested in the 20th century.[1]

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    fit (indeclinable)

    1. fit, healthy

    References

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    1. ^ Rejzek, Jiří (2015), “fit”, in Český etymologický slovník [Czech Etymological Dictionary] (in Czech), 3rd (revised and expanded) edition, Praha: LEDA, →ISBN, page 189

    Further reading

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    Dutch

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    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    fit (comparative fitter, superlative fitst)

    1. fit (in good shape)

    Declension

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    Declension of fit
    uninflected fit
    inflected fitte
    comparative fitter
    positive comparative superlative
    predicative/adverbial fit fitter het fitst
    het fitste
    indefinite m./f. sing. fitte fittere fitste
    n. sing. fit fitter fitste
    plural fitte fittere fitste
    definite fitte fittere fitste
    partitive fits fitters

    French

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    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    fit

    1. third-person singular past historic of faire

    German

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    Etymology

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    Unadapted borrowing from English fit.

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    fit (strong nominative masculine singular fitter, comparative fitter, superlative am fittesten)

    1. fit (in good overall physical shape)
    2. (predicative) able, prepared, up to a task (able to perform adequately, in contrast to a prior or possibly future state of inadequacy) [with für (+ accusative)]
      Ich war die letzte Woche krank, aber inzwischen bin ich wieder fit.
      I was sick last week, but I'm fully recovered now.
      Du solltest heute früh ins Bett gehen, damit du morgen fit für die Prüfung bist.
      You should go to bed early tonight, so you're well-rested for the exam tomorrow.
      So machen sie Ihr Auto fit für den Winter:
      Here's how to prepare your car for winter:

    Declension

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    Derived terms

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    Icelandic

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    An example of interdigital webbing on a frog.
    A casting on.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    fit f (genitive singular fitjar, nominative plural fitjar)

    1. (zoology) web, interdigital webbing, a membrane that connects the digits of an animal
    2. (knitting) a casting on, casting on

    Declension

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    Declension of fit (feminine)
    singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative fit fitin fitjar fitjarnar
    accusative fit fitina fitjar fitjarnar
    dative fit fitinni fitjum fitjunum
    genitive fitjar fitjarinnar fitja fitjanna
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    Further reading

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    Latin

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    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    fit

    1. third-person singular present passive indicative of faciō
    2. third-person singular present active indicative of fīō

    Luxembourgish

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    Etymology

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    From English fit, probably through German fit.

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    fit (masculine fitten, neuter fit, comparative méi fit, superlative am fitsten)

    1. fit (in good shape)

    Nigerian Pidgin

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    Etymology

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    From English fit.

    Verb

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    fit

    1. to be able to, can
      I no fit talk.
      I can not talk.
      • 2025 April 24, Sammi Awami, “Wetin to know as Tanzania ban South Africa and Malawi imports inside quarrel wey enter anoda level”, in BBC News Pidgin[8]:
        But while Tanzania fit look for alternative markets such as in Kenya, Namibia and South Sudan, landlocked Malawi fit find am harder to get im goods out of di country.
        But while Tanzania can look for alternative markets such as Kenya, Namibia and South Sudan, landlocked Malawi will find it harder to get goods out of the country.

    Further reading

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    • fit” in Naija Guru, 2026.

    Norwegian Nynorsk

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    Etymology

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    From Old Norse fit.

    Noun

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    fit f (definite singular fita or fiti, indefinite plural fitjar or fiter, definite plural fitjane or fitene)

    1. (pre-2012) alternative form of fet

    Old Norse

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    Etymology

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    (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

    Noun

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    fit f (genitive fitjar, plural fitjar)

    1. (zoology, anatomy) webbed foot (of swimming birds)
    2. (zoology, anatomy) flippers (of a seal)
    3. (landform) meadowland on the banks of a lake or river

    Declension

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    Declension of fit (strong -stem)
    feminine singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative fit fitin fitjar fitjarnar
    accusative fit fitina fitjar fitjarnar
    dative fit fitinni fitjum fitjunum
    genitive fitjar fitjarinnar fitja fitjanna

    Further reading

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    • Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “fit”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

    Polish

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    Pronunciation

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    Etymology 1

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    Unadapted borrowing from English fit.

    Adjective

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    fit (not comparable, no derived adverb)

    1. (slang) fit (in good shape; physically well)
    [edit]
    verbs

    Etymology 2

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    (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

    Noun

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    fit m animal

    1. horse that is well prepared for a race
    Declension
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    Etymology 3

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    (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

    Noun

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    fit m inan

    1. (bridge) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
    Declension
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    Etymology 4

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    See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

    Noun

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    fit f

    1. genitive plural of fita

    Further reading

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    • fit in Polish dictionaries at PWN
    • fit at Obserwatorium językowe Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego

    Portuguese

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    Etymology

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    Unadapted borrowing from English fit.

    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    fit (invariable)

    1. fit (in good shape)
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    Scots

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    Etymology 1

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    Inherited from Northern Middle English fut, from Old English fōt, from Proto-West Germanic *fōt, from Proto-Germanic *fōts, from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds.

    Alternative forms

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    Noun

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    fit (plural fits)

    1. foot
    2. lower end (of a street, river, field etc)
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    Verb

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    fit (third-person singular simple present fits, present participle fitin, simple past and past participle fitt)

    1. to foot

    Etymology 2

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    See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

    Pronoun

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    fit

    1. Doric Scots form of what

    Spanish

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    Etymology

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    Unadapted borrowing from English fit.

    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /ˈfit/ [ˈfit̪]
    • Rhymes: -it
    • Syllabification: fit

    Adjective

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    fit m or f (masculine and feminine plural fits) or fit (invariable)

    1. fit (in good shape)
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    Volapük

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    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    fit (nominative plural fits)

    1. (male or female) fish (cold-blooded vertebrate)

    Declension

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    Declension of fit
    singular plural
    nominative fit fits
    genitive fita fitas
    dative fite fites
    accusative fiti fitis
    vocative 1 o fit! o fits!
    predicative 2 fitu fitus

    1 status as a case is disputed
    2 in later, non-classical Volapük only

    Derived terms

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    See also

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