kite

1 of 2

noun

ˈkīt 

1

: a light frame covered with paper, cloth, or plastic, often provided with a stabilizing tail, and designed to be flown in the air at the end of a long string

2

: any of various usually small hawks (family Accipitridae) with long narrow wings and often a notched or forked tail

3

: a person who preys on others

4

: a check drawn against uncollected funds in a bank account or fraudulently raised before cashing

5

: a light sail used in a light breeze usually in addition to the regular working sails

especially : spinnaker

kitelike

ˈkīt-ˌlīk 

adjective

kite

2 of 2

verb

kited; kiting

transitive verb

1

: to use (a bad check) to get credit or money

2

: to cause to soar

kited the prices they charged wealthy clients

intransitive verb

1

a

: to go in a rapid, carefree, or flighty manner

b

: to rise rapidly : soar

2

: to get money or credit by a kite

kiter noun

Synonyms

Noun

• vampire
• predator
• shark
• vulture

Examples of kite in a Sentence

Noun

The children were flying kites.

characterized the financial advisors as kites who took advantage of their customers

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 121-year-old park in Midtown is the scene of a child's birthday that turns perilous as gusty winds send a red kite, and the little girl holding it, soaring above the Parthenon. —Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025

For instance, the Song range takes inspiration from the construction of a swallow kite that uses bamboo frames to support the paper shape, allowing the bags to be structured yet lightweight. —Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025

Verb

By bringing mountains, bells, temples, kites and looms into the heart of Paris, Songmont demonstrated how Eastern aesthetics can resonate globally. —Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025

What if high school included kayaking classic whitewater in Patagonia, climbing tufas in Greece, riding A-Line in Whistler, or kiting perfect wind in Brazil—while earning a diploma and applying to college? —Emily Lapointe, Outside Online, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English cȳta; akin to Middle High German kūze owl

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1839, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing kite

• as high as a kite
• box kite
• go fly a kite

Rhymes for kite

• bight
• bite
• blight
• byte
• cite
• dight
• fight
• fite
• flight
• fright
• height
• hight

Kids Definition

kite

noun

ˈkīt

1

: any of various usually small hawks with long narrow wings and a deeply forked tail

2

: a light covered frame for flying in the air at the end of a long string