/ ˈkɪti; NAmE / noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
( informal ) if money is put in a kitty , a group of people all give an amount and the money is spent on sth they all agree on :
We each put £20 in the kitty to cover the bills.
2.
( in card games, etc. ) the sum of money that all the players bet, which is given to the winner
3.
( informal ) a way of referring to a cat
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WORD ORIGIN
senses 1 to 2 early 19th cent. (denoting a jail): of unknown origin.