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bitt

(bĭt) Nautical

A vertical post, usually one of a pair, set on the deck of a ship and used to secure ropes or cables.

tr.v. bitt·ed, bitt·ing, bitts

To wind (a cable) around a bitt.

[Perhaps of Dutch or Low German origin; akin to Old Norse biti, crossbeam.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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