suit

American  

[soot] / sut /

noun

1. a set of clothing, armor, or the like, intended for wear together.

2. a set of men's garments of the same color and fabric, consisting of trousers, a jacket, and sometimes a vest.

3. a similarly matched set consisting of a skirt and jacket, and sometimes a topcoat or blouse, worn by women.

4. any costume worn for some special activity.

   a running suit.

5. Slang. Often suits an executive, manager, or official, especially one regarded as a faceless decision maker.

6. Law. the act, the process, or an instance of suing in a court of law; legal prosecution; lawsuit.

7. Cards.

   1. one of the four sets or classes (spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs) into which a common deck of playing cards is divided.

   2. the aggregate of cards belonging to one of these sets held in a player's hand at one time.

      Spades were his long suit.

   3. one of various sets or classes into which less common decks of cards are divided, as lances, hammers, etc., found in certain decks formerly used or used in fortune telling.

8. suite.

9. the wooing or courting of a woman.

   She rejected his suit.

10. the act of making a petition or an appeal.

11. a petition, as to a person of rank or station.

12. Also called set.  Nautical. a complete group of sails for a boat.

13. one of the seven classes into which a standard set of 28 dominoes may be divided by matching the numbers on half the face of each: a three suit contains the 3-blank, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, and 3-6. Since each such suit contains one of each of the other possible suits, only one complete suit is available per game.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make appropriate, adapt, or accommodate, as one thing to another.

   to suit the punishment to the crime.

2. to be appropriate or becoming to.

   Blue suits you very well.

3. to be or prove satisfactory, agreeable, or acceptable to; satisfy or please.

   The arrangements suit me.

4. to provide with a suit, as of clothing or armor; clothe; array.

verb (used without object)

1. to be appropriate or suitable; accord.

2. to be satisfactory, agreeable, or acceptable.

verb phrase

1. suit up to dress in a uniform or special suit.

idioms

1. follow suit,

   1. Cards. to play a card of the same suit as that led.

   2. to follow the example of another.

      The girl jumped over the fence, and her playmates followed suit.

2. suit oneself, to do what one wants to do or what is best for oneself, without regard for others (often used imperatively).

   I don’t agree with you, but okay, suit yourself.

suit British  

/ suːt, sjuːt /

noun

1. any set of clothes of the same or similar material designed to be worn together, now usually (for men) a jacket with matching trousers or (for women) a jacket with matching or contrasting skirt or trousers

2. (in combination) any outfit worn for a specific purpose

   a spacesuit

3. any set of items, such as the full complement of sails of a vessel or parts of personal armour

4. any of the four sets of 13 cards in a pack of playing cards, being spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. The cards in each suit are two to ten, jack, queen, and king in the usual order of ascending value, with ace counting as either the highest or lowest according to the game

5. a civil proceeding; lawsuit

6. the act or process of suing in a court of law

7. a petition or appeal made to a person of superior rank or status or the act of making such a petition

8. slang a business executive or white-collar manager

9. a man's courting of a woman

10. 1. to play a card of the same suit as the card played immediately before it

    2. to act in the same way as someone else

11. something that one excels in

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verb

1. to make or be fit or appropriate for

   that dress suits you

2. to meet the requirements or standards (of)

3. to be agreeable or acceptable to (someone)

4. to pursue one's own intentions without reference to others

suit More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing suit

• birthday suit
• empty suit
• follow suit
• long suit
• strong point (suit)

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Other Word Forms

• countersuit noun
• resuit noun
• suitlike adjective
• undersuit noun

Etymology

Origin of suit

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English siute, sute, suite (noun), from Anglo-French, Old French, akin to sivre (modern French, suivre ) “to follow”; sue, suite

Explanation

Among many other meanings, a suit is a jacket and pants that match — formalwear for men. Suits are well-suited (appropriate) for some jobs and formal events, like a funeral. A suit is also short for a lawsuit — like when you file a suit against a doctor who removed the wrong kidney. A suit is also an appeal to someone who has something you want — like money or affection. In cards, the suits are hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. If a hat looks good on you, it suits you. In fact, you can say of just about anything you like, "That suits me." Like a well-fitting suit, when something suits you, you enjoy it and feel comfortable with it.

Example Sentences

Black suit, white lights—he didn’t need anything more to bottle the magic hour on Saturday.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

If I put on my race suit and do things in this city, then I would think it will be a little bit different.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

He describes it as "a suit of armor," designed to shield the reactive center from water and other nearby molecules.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

Analysts expect those countries to lean on alternate routes, and for their neighbors to follow suit.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

A man in a tweed suit stands alone and sock-footed in the grass.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• become
• befit
• conform
• correspond
• enhance
• fit
• flatter
• go with
• gratify
• please
• satisfy
• serve