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

Noun (1)

removal of the tree stump left a gaping pit in the yard

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Statement areas include a wide uncluttered bow area with a helipad aft, a fire pit lounge forward, and a bimini to shelter from the wind. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024

Visitors can also enjoy roasting marshmallows by fire pits and elaborate floral arrangements inside the historic mansion. —Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Verb

But the set, in which Dylan played the electric guitar and embraced rock ’n’ roll publicly, was more complicated than a morality play pitting backward folk purists against forward-looking rockers. —Grant Wong, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024

Gelb’s populist tactic of pitting nice audiences against nasty critics belies the complex reality of how the repertory comes into being. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 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