kid

1 of 4

noun

1
: a young person
kids in high school
especially : child
a married couple with two kids
often used as a generalized reference to one especially younger or less experienced
the kid on the pro golf tour
you poor kid
2
a
: a young goat
b
: a young individual of various animals related to the goat
3
a
: the flesh, fur, or skin of a young goat
b
: something (such as leather) made of the fur or skin of a young goat
gloves made of kid
kiddish adjective

kid

2 of 4

adjective

: younger
my kid brother
his kid sister

kid

3 of 4

verb (1)

kidded; kidding

transitive verb

1
a
: to deceive (someone) as a joke : to say untrue things to (someone) in a playful or joking way
It's the truth; I wouldn't kid you.
You've got to be kidding me.
I kid you not.
b
: to fail to admit the truth to (someone)
They're kidding themselves if they think they can win.
2
: to gently criticize or tease (someone) in a friendly or good-humored way
We kidded her about her old car.

intransitive verb

: to engage in good-humored fooling or horseplay
He was just kidding with you.
often used with around
She enjoys kidding around with her friends.
kidder noun
kiddingly adverb

kid

4 of 4

verb (2)

kidded; kidding

intransitive verb

: to bring forth young
used of a goat or an antelope

Did you know?

Is the word kid slang?

Some people worry that kid, when used of a child rather than a juvenile goat, is either slang or too colloquial to merit acceptance in standard English.

The fact is that we have been using kid to refer to a child that is human, rather than goatish, for more than three hundred years now. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that although this word was considered “low slang” when it first began being used, it had entered “familiar speech” by the 19th century.

In contemporary English, kid is neither slang nor improper. It is, however, most definitely informal, so those writing professionally or in a formal register might prefer to use child.

Examples of kid in a Sentence

Noun She has to leave early and pick up her kids at school. He has a wife and two kids. I wish I could do something to help that poor kid.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The biggest thing for me is not throwing kids away. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Nov. 2023 The strong power makes the vacuum great for people with young kids who like to toss pieces of food, too. Lauren Taylor, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2023 The mom of two traveled recently from her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Orlando, Florida with her family, excited to introduce her two kids — Graham, 3, and Poppy, 1 — to the magic of Disney. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023 Written and directed by Billy Luther, the coming-of-age film follows Benny (Keir Tallman), a kid sent to spend the summer with his grandmother on the Navajo reservation in Arizona instead of at home in San Diego. Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023 That day, as the temperature climbed, Maria and her younger sister sat on their stoop working freeze pops up through their sheaths of clear plastic—a neighborhood favorite, sold at the bodega around the corner for a dime and slurped on by kids all summer long. Jacqueline Woodson, Bon Appétit, 21 Nov. 2023 Squealing kids were brachiating on the new playground. John Kelly, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 Exposure to lead can damage the brain and nervous system of young children, the Environmental Protection Agency says, resulting in behavior and learning problems in kids who were exposed to even low levels of lead. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2023 Wildling Pictures has launched a new TV division focusing high-end drama, kids, YA and family content. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 10 Nov. 2023
Adjective
The menorah design is available for all sizes, but kid sizes also have a dreidel print. Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 There's also a tray in the center for kid snacks, adult nibbles, candy, or non-food items, like a phone, sunglasses, or disinfectant wipes. Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 17 Nov. 2023 The menus are really just kid menus with upcharges for gruyere, and there’s always a patch of gravel where my kids can play cornhole or simply eat the gravel, a sight that bothers me less with an IPA in my hand. Megan Angelo, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2023 It’s been a rough summer for us: Breakups, divorces, job stuff, kid issues and parent issues. USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2023 Irwin described his childhood as sunny and uneventful, marked by ordinary kid things like working after school selling the weekly magazine Liberty door-to-door, washing dishes in neighborhood coffee shops or ushering at movie theaters to make a bit of pocket money. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2023 Get The Recipe 82 of 92 Cheeseburger Soup This 30-minute ground beef soup is easy and kid friendly. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2023 If interested in attending, be aware that the spectacle is popular and kid friendly. Mark Graves | , oregonlive, 15 Sep. 2023 And as for the kid/senior price, 13 is Swift’s lucky number. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 31 Aug. 2023
Verb
All kidding aside, the New Jersey native is bursting with pride for his daughter. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023 But few here kid themselves that their worldview is anywhere near making a breakthrough into the Israeli mainstream, where public opinion only seems to have hardened since the Oct. 7 attacks. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 27 Oct. 2023 No one thinks Hamas is kidding, and the more successful Israel is in its offensive, the more likely Hamas is to carry out executions. Daniel Byman and Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2023 Just kidding—the 26-year-old model is just continuing to take part in the popular no-pants trend during her Tour de Paris Fashion Week, starting with an underwear and tights combo for dinner on September 26. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2023 To highlight one of the reasons parents and students often miss warning signs of gun violence: People think the person is just kidding or looking for attention. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 27 Sep. 2023 The fact that it’s said both enthusiastically and slightly facetiously does beg the obvious, perennial question: What’s Americana… all kidding aside? Standing outside the Ryman Auditorium, where the 22nd annual edition of the awards show was about to go down, Brandi Carlile had an answer. Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Sep. 2023 Brady initially thought his older brother was kidding, Until . . . Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023 While the Taylor-sized hole was certainly felt on stage, Benioff wasn’t kidding about having a great time. Bykylie Robison, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2023
Verb
And then—I’m not kidding—completely of its own accord, a cork spontaneously flies out of a champagne bottle chilling in a silver bowl nearby as if to signal agreement with an emphatic pop! Carina Chocano, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 Mar. 2023 Yolk gotta be kidding. Erin Cavoto, Country Living, 22 Mar. 2023 No, all – all kidding aside. Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2023 But Ballard wasn’t kidding. The Indianapolis Star, 5 Mar. 2023 Italians have been kidding themselves. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2023 Dahl was kidding about the need to censor a cherished children’s story, but Dahl’s publisher isn’t. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2023 Brothers can't wait to kid him. Eric Sondheimer columnist follow, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2022 Can’t kid a kidder, fellas. Nick Canepacolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb (2)

Middle English kide, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse kith kid

Verb (1)

probably from kid entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adjective

1895, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1901, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kid was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near kid

Cite this Entry

“Kid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kid. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

kid

1 of 2 noun
1
: the young of a goat or of a related animal
2
a
: the flesh, fur, or skin of a kid
b
: something (as leather) made of kid
3
: a young person : child, youngster
kiddish adjective

kid

2 of 2 verb
kidded; kidding
1
: to deceive or trick as a joke
2
kidder noun

More from Merriam-Webster on kid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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