fitting

American  

[fit-ing] / ˈfɪt ɪŋ /

adjective

1. suitable or appropriate; proper or becoming.

   Synonyms:

   seemly, decorous, right, meet, fit

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noun

1. the act of a person or thing that fits.

2. an act or instance of trying on clothes that are being made or altered to determine proper fit.

3. anything provided as equipment, parts, supply, etc.

4. Usually fittings. furniture, fixtures, etc., as of a building or apartment.

fitting British  

/ ˈfɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. appropriate or proper; suitable

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noun

1. an accessory or part

   an electrical fitting

2. (plural) furnishings or accessories in a building

3. work carried out by a fitter

4. the act of trying on clothes so that they can be adjusted to fit

5. size in clothes or shoes

   a narrow fitting

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fittingly
  adverb
• underfitting
  noun
• unfitting
  adjective
• self-fitting
  adjective
• unfittingly
  adverb
• fittingness
  noun
• well-fitting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fitting

First recorded in 1525–35; fit ¹ + -ing ², -ing ¹

Explanation

Something fitting is perfectly appropriate or proper — it's just right. When someone finds your beloved lost turtle, it's fitting to offer them a reward, or at least a sincere thanks. If your cousin loves ponies, a pony theme is a fitting choice for his birthday party. As a noun, fitting has a completely different meaning. A clothing fitting is the process of trying on an outfit to see how it fits. A hardware or plumbing fitting is one small piece that fits into a bigger system. The thing all of these definitions have in common is the root word fit.

Example Sentences

Fitting James, Doncic and Reaves together came with growing pains, but pairing James and Kennard has felt simple.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

Fitting a tracker greatly improves the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle, they tell me.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Fitting, given that anything more than one foot in front of her would be invisible beneath the shadow of her cockamamie chapeau.

From Salon • Jan. 21, 2025

Fitting for a band that embraces improvisational spontaneity, Tuesday night’s stop on the Love Earth tour was actually more memorable for its technical difficulties and the way Young handled them.

From New York Times • May 17, 2024

Fitting cuirass and swordbelt to his shoulders, he woke his herdsmen, woke Telemakhos, ordering all in arms.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

Related Words

• apt
• felicitous
• proper