plural kids
1
informal
a
: a son or daughter : child
She has to leave early and pick up her kids at school.
He has a wife and two kids.
b
: a young person
I loved to play hopscotch when I was a kid. [=child]
I wish I could do something to help that poor kid.
I know he seems very mature, but he's really still just a kid. [=he's still very young]
a bunch of college kids [=young people who are attending college]
—sometimes used as a form of addressHey, kid!
You'd better listen to me, kid, because I'm not going to say this twice.
2
a
: a young goat
b
: a soft leather made from the skin of a young goat
gloves made of kid
kid leather
always used before a noun
chiefly US, informal
: younger
my kid brother/sister [=my brother/sister who is younger than I am]
kids; kidded; kidding
informal
1
: to speak to (someone) in a way that is not serious : to say things that are not true to (someone) in a joking way
It's the truth. I wouldn't kid you about something so important.
I'm not kidding you when I say that this is one of the best meals I've ever eaten.
I panicked when he said the test was tomorrow, but then I realized he was just kidding me.
The test is tomorrow? You must be kidding me!
"The test is tomorrow." "Are you kidding me?!" "I kid you not." [=I am not kidding you]
Don't be offended by what he said. He was just/only kidding.
—often + aroundI'm not really angry—I'm just kidding around.
2
: to make fun of (someone) in a friendly way : tease
We kidded her about her old car.
3
: to say (something) in a joking way
"I might eat this whole pie by myself," she kidded.
She kidded that she might eat the whole pie by herself.
Cite this Entry
“Kid.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/kid. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
