suit

noun \ ˈsüt \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

1 archaic : suite 1

2 a : recourse or appeal to a feudal superior for justice or redress

b : an action or process in a court for the recovery of a right or claim

3 : an act or instance of suing or seeking by entreaty : appeal; specifically : courtship

4 : a group of things forming a unit : suite —used chiefly of armor, sails, and counters in games

5 : a set of garments: such as

a : an ensemble of two or more usually matching outer garments (such as a jacket, vest, and trousers)

businessmen wearing three-piece suits

b : a costume to be worn for a special purpose or under particular conditions

gym suits

6 a : all the playing cards in a pack bearing the same symbol

b : all the dominoes bearing the same number

c : all the cards or counters in a particular suit held by one player

a 5-card suit

d : the suit led

follow suit

7 slang : a business executive —usually used in plural

—

suited

play \ˈsü-təd\ adjective

See suit defined for English-language learners

See suit defined for kids

Examples of suit in a Sentence

He wore his gray suit to the job interview.
filed a suit against the company that had manufactured the faulty heater, claiming they were responsible for the fire

Recent Examples of suit from the Web

Collina, who officiated Brazil's 2-0 win over Germany in the 2002 World Cup final, explained why the VARs will wear track suits similar to referees' on-pitch attire.

— andrew dampf, chicagotribune.com, "VAR decisions to be shown on big screens at World Cup," 18 Apr. 2018
Montgomery Circuit Judge Roman Shaul dismissed Cleveland, Dean, and Crowther from the suit in January.

— trisha powell crain, AL.com, "Will Pouncey lawsuit impact Alabama superintendent choice?," 18 Apr. 2018
Six suits have been brought against the celebrity chef in the last eight months.

— aubrey nagle, Philly.com, "One dead in emergency plane landing, Jose Garces fields multiple lawsuits | Morning Newsletter," 18 Apr. 2018
The suits were filed late Monday in Travis County, Texas, where Jones' media company, InfoWars, is based.

— Fox News, "Sandy Hook families file suit against Infowars' Alex Jones," 17 Apr. 2018
The suits focus on comments made by Mr. Jones in the past year.

— matthew haag, New York Times, "Sandy Hook Parents Sue Alex Jones for Defamation," 17 Apr. 2018
His suit jacket was open and his tie too long, as usual.

— john diaz, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership,’ by James Comey," 17 Apr. 2018
The centerpiece of the latest Lacoste x Supreme collab is a velour reinvention of the iconic Lacoste polo shirt with matching track suits and bucket hats.

— ingrid schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, "Style Notes: Isabella Rossellini on Returning to Lancome; Hood By Air Designer Teams with Longchamp," 17 Apr. 2018
Also named as defendants are Henderson Behavioral Health, the Jerome Golden Center for Behavioral Health and the South County Mental Health Center, three facilities cited in the suit as treating Cruz for various mental health conditions.

— rafael olmeda, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Hero student Anthony Borges files first lawsuit in Parkland school shooting," 17 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of suit

Middle English sute, seute pursuit, retinue, set, legal action, from Anglo-French siute, suite, from Vulgar Latin *sequita, from feminine of *sequitus, past participle of *sequere to follow — more at sue

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

suit Synonyms

Synonyms

appeal, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, plea, pleading, prayer, solicitation, supplication;

Related Words

application, requisition;

call, claim, demand, insistence;

suit

verb

transitive verb

1 a : to be becoming to

that dress suits you

b : to be proper for : befit

a mood that suits the occasion

2 : to outfit with clothes : dress

3 : accommodate, adapt

suit the action to the word

4 : to meet the needs or desires of : please

suits me fine

intransitive verb

1 : to be in accordance : agree

the position suits with your abilities

2 : to be appropriate or satisfactory

these prices don't suit

3 : to put on specially required clothing (such as a uniform or protective garb) —usually used with up

players suiting up for the game

See suit defined for English-language learners

Examples of suit in a Sentence

This kind of behavior hardly suits a person of your age.
She gave a serious speech that suited the occasion.
The formal furniture really suited the style of the house.
The job suits her very well.

Recent Examples of suit from the Web

Mr Kim’s aim may be to offer a concession big enough to entice Mr Trump into the kind of protracted negotiation that would suit the North Korean despot nicely.

— The Economist, "What to expect from talks with North Korea," 19 Apr. 2018
Find a class that suits your schedule – daytime, nighttime or online.

— chicagotribune.com, "Harper College," 19 Apr. 2018
The new, chic body chains, as seen at Céline, Jacquemus, and 3.1 Phillip Lim, came layered over simple silhouettes and streamlined suiting instead of bare midriffs.

— anny choi, Vogue, "Yes, You Can Wear Coachella-Style Body Chains to the Office," 18 Apr. 2018
Meriano said the new life suited Kleinauskaite, who’d fled Lithuania as a not particularly inviting place for young adults, especially one who was questioning her sexuality in a culture so openly hostile to gays and lesbians.

— will bunch, Philly.com, "'I get my orders from above.' How Trump's deportation machine keeps Philly newlyweds on ICE | Will Bunch," 17 Apr. 2018
Consult your barber and figure out what style suits your face best.

— lamar dawson, GQ, "How to Grow an Afro Out And Keep It Looking Great," 13 Apr. 2018
This is just one of countless examples of how poorly suited our bodies are to our current environment.

— nathan h. lents, WSJ, "The Botch of the Human Body," 13 Apr. 2018
How spacious are those business class suites up front, anyway?

— cynthia drescher, Condé Nast Traveler, "Choosing the Best Seat on the Plane Is About to Get Easier," 12 Apr. 2018
In the past months, Trump has been counseled by some friends that structuring the White House in a similar fashion might suit his style better than tasking all oversight to a single chief of staff.

— kevin liptak, CNN, "Kelly cedes control to new faces amid latest Trump tumult," 11 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of suit

14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

suit Synonyms

SUIT Defined for English Language Learners

suit

noun

: a set of clothes that usually consists of a jacket and a skirt or pair of pants that are made out of the same material
: a set of clothes or protective covering that is worn for a special purpose or under particular conditions
: a process by which a court of law makes a decision to settle a disagreement or problem between people or organizations

suit

verb

: to provide what is required or wanted by or for (someone or something)
: to be proper or suitable for (someone or something)
: to be attractive on (someone)

SUIT Defined for Kids

suit

noun \ ˈsüt \

1 : a set of clothing having matching top and bottom pieces

2 : a set of clothes or protective coverings worn for a special purpose or under particular conditions

a gym suit

a suit of armor

3 : an action in court to settle a disagreement or enforce a right or claim

4 : all the playing cards of one kind (as spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs) in a pack

suit

verb

suited; suiting

1 : to be suitable or satisfactory

The time of the meeting suits my schedule.

2 : to make suitable : adapt

You should suit your speech for your audience.

3 : to be proper for or pleasing with

That scarf does not suit the dress.

4 : to meet the needs or desires of

… it was fully settled that James should go … as it suited his master …
—Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

Medical Dictionary

suit

— see g suit, pressure suit

Law Dictionary

suit

noun

: a proceeding to enforce a right or claim; specifically : an action brought in a court seeking a remedy for injuries suffered or a determination of rights : lawsuit

Origin and Etymology of suit

Anglo-French siute suite suit request to initiate legal proceedings, literally, pursuit, from siute, feminine past participle of suire to follow, from Old French sivre — see sue