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Glite Dictionary
St. Kitts

St. Kitts

3.9
An island in the Caribbean with beaches and a capital called Basseterre
  • proper noun
  • /seɪnt kɪts/
translation icon : San Cristóbal
  • As the largest island in the nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, St. Kitts offers a rich history and stunning landscapes.

Examples

  • The women's costume was also found in St. Kitts (Williams 1896:117-20) and Nevis in the mid-1920s, but not necessarily on other islands.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The wire-screen type was often homemade, although a man from St. Kitts who lived in Charlotte Amalie used to make and sell the basic wire form on which performers would paint eyes, eyebrows, and mouth.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Many tourists flock to St. Kitts for its beautiful beaches and vibrant culture.

  • The annual music festival on St. Kitts attracts performers and visitors from around the world.

Synonyms

St. Christopher
vsSt. Kitts
6.0

The largest island of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean

is the island's main official name used in geography and maps
Saint Christopher
vsSt. Kitts
6.3

The largest island of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean Sea

is the term highlighting its role as the larger island of the country
Saint Kitts
vsSt. Kitts
4.1

A large Caribbean island that, with Nevis, makes the country Saint Kitts and Nevis

is the same island but phrased as the country's principal island

Surface Forms

St. Kitts main

Morphology

St. + Kitts

The element 'St.' is transparently an abbreviation of 'Saint', which signals a proper name and likely a place, but 'Kitts' is a lexical name with no inherent meaning that would indicate 'island' or the geopolitical status. A learner who knows the constituents may infer this is a place-name (semi-transparent clue) but cannot derive the specific meaning 'an island in the West Indies' without prior knowledge.

Etymology

St. Kitts comes from the island's old name 'Saint Christopher'. Early English settlers used the short name 'Kit' for 'Christopher', so they called the island St. Kitts, and that is the name we still use for the Caribbean island.