kit

Where does the word "kit" come from? It comes from Middle Dutch kitte, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Kit’s story begins in Middle Dutch: kitte meant “wooden vessel.” A wooden tub or tankard bound with hoops. It reached English by 1300s as kit. Soldiers packed belongings in such a vessel, so the word came to mean their gear. Today, kit means a set of articles or equipment for a purpose.

1. Stage 1 · Middle Dutch · medieval kitte "wooden vessel", a wooden tub or tankard bound with hoops.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s kit "tub; soldier's gear", soldiers packed belongings in such a vessel, so the word came to mean their gear.