pit

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈpit 

1

a(1)

: a hole, shaft, or cavity in the ground

(2)

: mine

(3)

: a scooped-out place used for burning something (such as charcoal)

b

: an area often sunken or depressed below the adjacent floor area: such as

(1)

: an enclosure in which animals are made to fight each other

(2)

: a space at the front of a theater for the orchestra

(3)

: an area in a securities or commodities exchange in which members trade (such as stocks)

2

a

: hell sense 1a

—used with the

b

: a place or situation of futility, misery, or degradation

c

pits plural : worst

it's the pits

3

: a hollow or indentation especially in the surface of an organism: such as

a

: a natural hollow in the surface of the body

b

: one of the indented scars left in the skin by a pustular disease : pockmark

c

: a minute depression in the secondary wall of a plant cell functioning in the intercellular movement of water and dissolved material

4

: any of the areas alongside an auto racecourse used for refueling and repairing the cars during a race

—often used in plural with the

pit

2 of 4

verb (1)

pitted; pitting

transitive verb

1

a

: to place, cast, bury, or store in a pit

b

: to make pits in

especially : to scar or mark with pits

2

a

: to set (fighting birds, such as gamecocks) into or as if into a pit to fight

b

: to set into opposition or rivalry

—usually used with against

intransitive verb

1

: to become marked with pits

especially : to preserve for a time an indentation made by pressure

2

: to make a pit stop

pit

3 of 4

noun (2)

: the stone of a drupaceous fruit

pit

4 of 4

verb (2)

pitted; pitting

transitive verb

: to remove the pit from (a fruit)

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• cavity
• concavity
• dent
• depression
• dint
• hole
• hollow
• indentation
• indenture
• recess

Examples of pit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ryan Blaney made multiple trips to pit road and is now 24th. —Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2024

On our last night in Botswana, the staff prepares us a beautiful sundowner send-off — a massive spread arranged on my suite's terrace surrounding a fire pit. —Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024

The primary suite terrace with a fire pit overlooks the pool and verdant landscape. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024

Unfortunately, not every house is cut out for traditional fire pits, and some neighborhoods have rules against them. —Melissa Epifano, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

An upstairs space, available for parties, has more tables, another bar and additional fire pits. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2024

The method for sprouting an avocado pit in a glass or jar of water is not a secret. —Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 30 Mar. 2024

Ohio pits incumbent senator Sherrod Brown (D.), now in his third term, against Republican challenger Bernie Moreno. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 23 Mar. 2024

Shane Van Gisbergen gets a speeding penalty on pit road. —Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2024

Verb

The recall campaign has, among other things, highlighted a stark generational divide in Calexico, pitting Ureña and Manzanarez against the city’s more conservative old guard, most of whom are Democrats. —Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024

The contrast ad is the latest salvo in a contest that pits Delaney — a former Biden administration official and the wife of John Delaney, a wealthy businessman who held the same congressional seat from 2013 to 2019 — against more than a dozen other Democrats. —Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024

Their reintroduction is often controversial, pitting ranchers against conservationists. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024

Those views, while conflated in both truth and misinformation, highlight growing tension caused by an immigration system pitting immigrant Latinos against each other. —Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024

The New Empire is a followup to 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong, this time pitting the two behemoths against a colossal undiscovered threat that puts the survival of humanity at risk. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 7 Apr. 2024

Chase Briscoe, who last pitted in Lap 185, is your race leader. Lap 294: As this period of green-flag racing continues, moments ago, South Carolina defeated Iowa to win the NCAA women’s basketball championship. —Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2024

And the opening episode of this final, 12th season pits a furious Larry against a nonchalant Siri. —Wesley Morris Ron Butler Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024

Tuesday's election for the Milwaukee Common Council district that encompasses much of downtown and the near west side has pitted a two-decade incumbent against a challenger who argues the resources concentrated in downtown could be redistributed to help the city as a whole. —Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English pytt (akin to Old High German pfuzzi well), from Latin puteus well, pit

Noun (2)

Dutch, from Middle Dutch — more at pith

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1803, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1879, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pit

• American pit bull terrier
• borrow pit
• bottomless pit
• fire pit
• go pit-a-pat
• money pit
• mosh pit
• open-pit
• pit against
• pit-a-pat
• pit boss
• pit bull
• pit bull terrier
• pit crew
• pit master
• pit saw
• pit stop
• pit viper
• pit your wits against
• snake pit
• tar pit
• the pit of one's/the stomach

Kids Definition

pit

1 of 4 noun

ˈpit 

1

: a hole, shaft, or cavity in the ground

a gravel pit

2

: an area set off from and often sunken below neighboring areas: as

a

: an enclosure where animals (as cocks) are set to fight

b

: the space occupied by an orchestra in a theater

3

a

: a hollowed or indented area especially in the surface of the body

the pit of the stomach

b

: an indented scar (as from a boil)

4

plural : worst entry 3 sense 1

it's the pits

5

: any of the areas alongside an auto racetrack used for servicing cars during a race

—often used in plural with the

pit

2 of 4 verb

pitted; pitting

1

a

: to put into or store in a pit

b

: to make pits in

especially : to scar with pits

2

: to set against another in a fight or contest

pitted the courageous fighter against the champion

3

: to become marked with pits

pit

3 of 4 noun

: the stone of a fruit (as the cherry or peach) that is a drupe

pit

4 of 4 verb

pitted; pitting

: to remove the pit from

pitted dates

Etymology

Noun

Old English pytt "pit, hole in the ground"

Noun

from Dutch pit "the seed-containing stone of a fruit"

Medical Definition

pit

1 of 2 noun

ˈpit 

: a hollow or indentation especially in a surface of an organism: as

a

: a natural hollow in the surface of the body

b

: one of the indented scars left in the skin by a pustular disease : pockmark

c

: a usually developmental imperfection in the enamel of a tooth that takes the form of a small pointed depression

pit

2 of 2 verb

pitted; pitting

transitive verb

: to make pits in

especially : to scar or mark with pits

a face pitted by acne

intransitive verb

: to become marked with pits

especially : to preserve for a time an indentation made by pressure

a swollen area on the gingiva which pits readily

—A. B. Wade

Geographical Definition

Pit

geographical name

ˈpit 

river in northern California flowing southwest into the Sacramento River