The 4 letter words with definitions, separated alphabetically.
Now updated for CSW24. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| kaal | (S. Afr.) naked. |
| kaas | A large cupboard > KAAS. |
| kabs | (Pl.) KAB, an ancient Hebrew unit of measure. |
| kack | rubbish, faeces > KACKS. |
| kade | A wingless fly that infests sheep > KADES. Also KED. |
| kadi | (Arabic) a civil judge in a Muslim country > KADIS. [Arabic qadi, a judge]. Also CADI, QADI. |
| kaed | (Pt.) KAE, to serve. |
| kaes | (3rd.) KAE, to serve. |
| kafs | (Pl.) KAF, a Hebrew letter. |
| kago | (Japanese) a basketwork PALANQUIN > KAGOS. |
| kagu | A flightless bird > KAGUS. [Native name in New Caledonia]. |
| kaid | (Arabic) a North African chief > KAIDS. Also CAID, QAID. |
| kaie | (Obs.) key > KAIES. |
| kaif | (Arabic) a state of dreamy intoxication induced by e.g. cannabis > KAIFS. [Arabic kaif, pleasure]. Also KIF, KIEF, KEF, KEEF. |
| kaik | (NZ) the South Island dialect word for KAINGA, a Maori village > KAIKS. Also KAIKA. |
| kail | A ninepin > KAILS. Also KAYLE. |
| kaim | (Scots) a comb; a ridge or mound of sand and gravel deposited on or near a glacier > KAIMS. Also KAME. |
| kain | (Gaelic) a tenanted farm rent paid in kind > KAINS. Also CAIN, KANE. |
| kais | (Pl.) KAI, a meal. |
| kaka | (Maori) a brownish-green New Zealand parrot > KAKAS. |
| kaki | (Japanese) a fruit like a persimmon > KAKIS. |
| kaks | (Pl.) KAK, faeces, rubbish. |
| kale | A hardy cabbage-like vegetable > KALES. |
| kali | (Arabic) the prickly saltwort or glasswort > KALIS. |
| kama | (Sanskrit) earthly desire > KAMAS. |
| kame | (Scots) a comb; a ridge or mound of sand and gravel deposited on or near a glacier > KAMES. Also KAIM. |
| kami | (Japanese) a Japanese divine being > KAMIS. |
| kana | (Japanese) Japanese syllabic writing > KANAS. |
| kane | (Gaelic) a tenanted farm rent paid in kind > KANES. Also CAIN, KAIN. |
| kang | (Chinese) a sleeping platform > KANGS. |
| kans | (Hindi) an Indian grass related to sugar-cane > KANSES. |
| kant | An inclination from the horizontal or vertical plane; (verb) to so incline > KANTS, KANTING, KANTED. Also CANT. |
| kaon | An elementary particle of the meson family > KAONS. |
| kapa | (Polynesian) a kind of cloth prepared by the Polynesians from the inner bark of the paper mulberry > KAPAS. Also TAPA, TAPPA. |
| kaph | (Hebrew) a Hebrew letter > KAPHS. Also CAPH, KHAPH, KHAF, KAF. |
| kapu | (Hawaiian) a Hawaiian set of rules for daily life > KAPUS. |
| kara | (Punjabi) a steel bangle, worn by Sikhs > KARAS. |
| kark | (Aus. sl.) to break down, die > KARKS, KARKING, KARKED. |
| karn | A mound of stone set up as a memorial > KARNS. Also CAIRN, CARN. |
| karo | (Maori) a small New Zealand shrub or tree > KARO. No -S. |
| kart | As in go-kart > KARTS, KARTING but no KARTED*. |
| kata | (Japanese) a sequence of movements in the martial arts > KATAS. |
| kati | (Malay) a unit of measure used in S.E. Asia > KATIS. Also CATTIE, KATTI. |
| kats | (Pl.) KAT, a shrub of the spindle tree family. |
| kava | (Tongan) a narcotic drink prepared from Polynesian plant > KAVAS. Also AVA, KAVAKAVA. |
| kawa | (Maori) protocol or etiquette (in a Maori tribal meeting place) > KAWAS. |
| kaws | (3rd.) KAW, to caw. |
| kayo | A knockout; (verb) to knock out > KAYOS or KAYOES, KAYOING, KAYOED. |
| kays | (Pl.) KAY, the letter K. |
| kazi | (Sl.) lavatory > KAZIS. Also CARSEY, KARZY, KARSY, KARSEY, KHAZI. |
| kbar | A kilobar > KBARS. |
| keas | (Pl.) KEA, a large New Zealand parrot. |
| kebs | (3rd.) KEB, to cast a lamb prematurely. |
| keck | To heave or retch, as in an effort to vomit > KECKS, KECKING, KECKED. |
| keds | (Pl.) KED, a wingless fly that infests sheep. |
| keef | (Arabic) a state of dreamy intoxication induced by e.g. cannabis > KEEFS. [Arabic kaif, pleasure]. Also KIF, KIEF, KAIF, KEF. |
| keek | To glance; to peep > KEEKS, KEEKING, KEEKED. |
| keel | The part of a ship along the bottom from stem to stern; (verb) to turn keel upward > KEELS, KEELING, KEELED. |
| keen | Sharp > KEENER, KEENEST; KEENLY; (verb) to lament esp. over a corpse > KEENS, KEENING, KEENED. |
| keep | To tend, look after > KEEPS, KEEPING, KEPT. |
| keet | A young guinea-fowl > KEETS. |
| kefs | (Pl.) KEF, a state of dreamy tranquility. |
| kegs | (Pl.) KEG, a barrel. |
| keir | A bleaching-vat > KEIRS. Also KIER. |
| keks | (Coll.) trousers. N.B. no KEK*. |
| kell | (Scots) a woman's headdress, a veil > KELLS. |
| kelp | A type of seaweed; (verb) to burn this > KELPS, KELPING, KELPED. Also KILP (but as noun only). |
| kelt | (Scots) a salmon that has just spawned > KELTS. |
| kemb | To com > KEMBS, KEMBING, KEMBED, KEMPT. |
| kemp | Coarse hair > KEMPY; (verb) to strive for mastery > KEMPS, KEMPING, KEMPED. |
| keno | A gambling game, a variety of the game of lotto, played with numbered balls or knobs > KENOS. [Fr. quine, winning number]. Also KEENO, QUINO. |
| kens | (3rd.) KEN, to know. |
| kent | (Scots) a leaping or punting pole; (verb) to punt or pole > KENTS, KENTING, KENTED. |
| kepi | (Fr.) a legionnaire's cap > KEPIS. |
| keps | (3rd.) KEP, to catch. |
| kept | (PaP.) KEEP, to tend, look after. |
| kerb | (Verb) to provide with curbing > KERBS, KERBING, KERBED. |
| kerf | A cut, notch or groove; (verb) to make an incision with a cutting tool > KERFS, KERFING, KERFED. Also CURF. |
| kern | An Irish foot-soldier; (verb) to granulate > KERNS, KERNING, KERNED. |
| kero | (Aust. sl.) kerosene > KEROS. |
| kesh | (Punjabi) the uncut hair and beard traditionally worn by Sikhs > KESHES. |
| kest | (Obs.) to cast > KESTS, KESTING, KEST. |
| keta | (Russian) a Pacific salmon, the dog-salmon > KETAS. |
| kete | (Maori) a basket woven from flax > KETE. No -S. |
| keto | Pertaining to KETONE, a chemical compound of carbon, obtained by distilling salts of organic acids. No -S. |
| kets | (Pl.) KET, carrion. |
| kewl | (Coll.) cool > KEWLER, KEWLEST. |
| keys | (3rd.) KEY, to enter (data) into a computer. |
| khaf | (Hebrew) a Hebrew letter > KHAFS. Also CAPH, KAPH, KHAPH, KAF. |
| khan | (Turkish) a prince or chief; a governor > KHANS. Also CHAM. |
| khat | (Arabic) a shrub of E Africa, Arabia, etc, or specif its leaves, chewed or taken as tea for their stimulant effect > KHATS. Also KAT, QAT. |
| khet | (Hebrew) a Hebrew letter > KHETS. Also HETH, HET, CHETH, KHETH. |
| khis | (Pl.) KHI, a Greek letter. |
| khor | (Arabic) a dry watercourse; a ravine > KHORS. [Arabic khurr, khorr]. |
| khud | (Hindi) in India, a pit, hollow, ravine > KHUDS. |
| kibe | A chapped place on skin; an ulcerated chilblain > KIBES. |
| kick | To strike out with the foot or feet > KICKS, KICKING, KICKED. |
| kids | (3rd.) KID, to hoax or deceive. |
| kief | (Arabic) a state of dreamy intoxication induced by e.g. cannabis > KIEFS. [Arabic kaif, pleasure]. Also KIF, KEF, KAIF, KEEF. |
| kier | A bleaching-vat > KIERS. Also KEIR. |
| kiev | a dish made of thin fillets of meat, esp chicken (chicken kiev), filled with butter, etc, coated with breadcrumbs, and fried > KIEVS. |
| kiff | (S. Afr.) excellent. No comp! |
| kifs | (Pl.) KIF, a state of dreamy intoxication induced by e.g. cannabis. |
| kild | (Spenser) killed. |
| kill | To deprive of life > KILLS, KILLING, KILLED or KILD. |
| kiln | (Verb) to dry, fire in a kiln > KILNS, KILNING, KILNED. |
| kilo | A KILOGRAM > KILOS. |
| kilp | A type of seaweed > KILPS. Also KELP. |
| kilt | A skirt-like garment; (verb) to tuck up like a kilt > KILTS, KILTING, KILTED. |
| kina | A tree yielding cinchona, from which quinine is made > KINAS. Also KINAKINA, QUINA, QUINQUINA, QUINAQUINA, CHINACHINA. |
| kind | Disposed to do good to others > KINDER, KINDEST; KINDLY; (verb) to beget > KINDS, KINDING, KINDED. |
| kine | A type of television tube > KINES. |
| king | (Verb) to make king; to provide with a king > KINGS, KINGING, KINGED. |
| kink | To form a tight curl or bend in > KINKS, KINKING, KINKED. |
| kino | A red gum containing tannin, obtained from several tropical trees > KINOS. |
| kins | (Pl.) KIN, one's relations. |
| kipe | An osier basket for catching pike > KIPES. |
| kipp | (Scots) anything beaked; a pointed hill > KIPPS. |
| kips | (Pl.) KIP, a Laotian monetary unit. |
| kirk | (Scots) church; (verb) to bring to church > KIRKS, KIRKING, KIRKED. |
| kirn | To churn > KIRNS, KIRNING, KIRNED. |
| kirs | (Pl.) KIR, a wine and blackcurrant drink. |
| kish | A solid graphite floating on a molten bath of pig-iron > KISHES. |
| kiss | To touch with the lips as a sign of affection > KISSES, KISSING, KISSED. |
| kist | (Scots) a chest; (verb) to coffin > KISTS, KISTING, KISTED. |
| kite | A long-tailed bird of prey of the hawk family; (verb) to fly like a kite > KITES, KITING, KITED. |
| kith | One's friends, neighbours, relatives > people of one's own kind > KITHS. |
| kits | (Pl.) KIT, a small pocket violin. |
| kiva | (Am. Ind.) an underground chamber used in religious rites by Pueblo Indians > KIVAS. [Hopi]. |
| kiwi | (Maori) a New Zealand bird, the APTERYX > KIWIS. |
| klap | (S. Afr.) to slap or smack > KLAPS, KLAPPING, KLAPPED. |
| klik | (Coll.) a kilometre > KLIKS. Also KLICK. |
| knag | A short projection from the trunk or branch of a tree > KNAGS. |
| knap | (Shakesp.) to snap, crack > KNAPS, KNAPPING, KNAPPED. |
| knar | To snarl or growl > KNARS, KNARRING, KNARRED. Also GNAR, GNARR, GNARL. |
| knee | To strike with the knee (a joint of the leg) > KNEES, KNEEING, KNEED. |
| knew | (Pt.) KNOW, to have a true understanding of. |
| knit | To make a fabric or garment by joining loops of yarn > KNITS, KNITTING, KNITTED. |
| knob | A rounded protuberance; (verb) to supply with knobs > KNOBS, KNOBBING, KNOBBED. |
| knop | A loop or tuft in yarn > KNOPS. |
| knot | To tie in a knot (a closed loop) > KNOTS, KNOTTING, KNOTTED. |
| know | To have a true understanding of > KNOWS, KNOWING, KNEW, KNOWN. |
| knub | A knob, a small lump > KNUBS. |
| knur | A knot on a tree > KNURS. Also KNAUR, KNURR, NUR, NURR. |
| knut | A swell, a dandy > KNUTS. |
| koan | (Japanese) a nonsensical question given to Buddhist students for contemplation > KOANS. |
| koap | (Papua New Guinean slang) sexual intercourse > KOAPS. |
| koas | (Pl.) KOA, a Hawaian acacia. |
| kobo | A monetary unit of Nigeria > KOBOS. [Nigerian version of English copper]. |
| kobs | (Pl.) KOB, an African waterbuck. |
| koel | (Hindi) an Asian or Australian bird of the cuckoo family > KOELS. [Hindi koël, koïl from Skt. kokila]. |
| koff | (Dutch) a small Dutch sailing vessel > KOFFS. |
| koha | (Maori) a gift or donation esp. of cash > KOHAS. |
| kohl | (Arabic) a black cosmetic powder > KOHLS. |
| kois | (Pl.) KOI, a Japanese carp. |
| koji | (Japanese) a fungus used to initiate fermentation in making soy sauce > KOJIS. |
| koka | the lowest score awarded for a throw or hold in judo, worth three points > KOKAS. |
| kola | (Temne) a genus of W. African trees producing nuts used in drugs and for flavouring soft drinks > KOLAS. Also COLA. |
| kolo | (Serbo-Croat) a Serbian folk-dance > KOLOS. [Serbo-Croat kolo, wheel]. |
| kond | (Spenser) pt. of KON, to know. |
| konk | To fail, break down > KONKS, KONKING, KONKED. Also CONK. |
| kons | (3rd.) KON, to know. |
| kook | (Scots) to dart in and out of sight > KOOKS, KOOKING, KOOKED. |
| koph | (Hebrew) the nineteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet > KOPHS. Also QOPH. |
| kops | (Pl.) KOP, South African word for hill. |
| kora | A West African musical instrument > KORAS. |
| kore | (Greek) an ancient Greek statue of a draped maiden > KORES or KORAI. |
| kori | (n) a coin used in parts of India in the 19th and 20th centuries. |
| koro | (Maori) an elderly Maori man; a title of respect for an elderly Maori man > KORO. No -S. |
| kors | (Pl.) KOR, a Hebrew unit of measure. |
| koru | (Maori) a stylized curved pattern used especially in carving > KORUS. |
| koss | (Hindi) a measure of distance > KOSSES. Also COSS, KOS. |
| koto | (Japanese) a kind of musical instrument > KOTOS. |
| kows | (Pl.) KOW, a bunch of twigs. |
| krab | In mountaineering, a short form of KARABINER > KRABS. |
| krai | (Russian) an administrative district in Russia > KRAIS. |
| kray | (Russian) an administrative district in Russia > KRAYS. |
| kris | (Malay) a dagger or short sword used by the Malays, commonly having a serpentine blade > KRISES. Also CRIS, CREESE, KREESE. |
| ksar | (Milton) tsar > KSARS. |
| kudo | Award, honour (back-formation from KUDOS) > KUDOS. |
| kudu | (Hottentot) a kind of antelope with long spiral horns > KUDUS. Also KOODOO. |
| kueh | (Malay) any cake of Malay, Chinese or Indian origin > KUEH. No -S. |
| kues | (Pl.) KUE, the letter Q. |
| kufi | A close-fitting brimless cylindrical or round hat > KUFIS. |
| kuia | (Maori) a Maori female elder or elderly woman > KUIAS. |
| kuku | (Maori) a large fruit-eating pigeon of New Zealand > KUKUS. |
| kula | (Melanesian) a form of ceremonial gift exchange practised among a group of islanders in the W. Pacific used to establish relations between islands > KULAS. |
| kuna | The standard monetary unit of Croatia, divided into 100 LIPA > KUNE. |
| kune | (Pl.) KUNA, the standard monetary unit of Croatia. |
| kuri | (Maori) a mongrel, an extinct native dog > KURIS. Also GOORIE, GOORY. |
| kuru | Laughing sickness, a disease of New Guinea > KURUS. |
| kuta | (Hinglish) a male dog; a man or a boy regarded as unpleasant or contempible > KUTAS. |
| kuti | (Hinglish) a female dog; a woman or girl regarded as unpleasant or contemptible > KUTIS. |
| kutu | (Maori) a body louse, a COOTIE > KUTUS. |
| kuzu | (Japanese) a thickening agent used in a macrobiotic diet > KUZUS. |
| kvas | (Russian) an alcoholic drink of low strength (actually given to children) made in Russia and E. Europe from cereals and stale bread > KVASES. Also KVASS, QUASS. |
| kyak | (Inuit) a type of canoe > KYAKS. Also KAYAK, KAIAK. |
| kyar | A material for cordage, matting, etc., consisting of the prepared fiber of the outer husk of the cocoanut > KYARS. Also COIR. |
| kyat | (Burmese) the standard Burmese monetary unit, equal to 100 PYAS > KYATS. |
| kybo | (Aust. sl.) a temporary lavatory constructed for use when camping > KYBOS. |
| kyes | (Pl.) KYE, a private Korean-American banking club to which members pay contributions usually to start small businesses. |
| kyle | (Gaelic) a narrow strait > KYLES. [Gaelic caol, narrow]. |
| kynd | (Spenser) to kind, beget > KYNDS, KYNDING, KYNDED. Also KYNDE. |
| kyne | (Scots) kine, cattle. No -S. |
| kype | The hook on the lower jaw of a mature male salmon > KYPES. |
| kyte | (Scots) the belly > KYTES. |
| kyus | (Pl.) KYU, a grade in martial arts. |