c. 1200, "the young of a goat," from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse kið "young goat," from Proto-Germanic *kidjom (source also of Old High German kizzi, German kitze, Danish and Swedish kid), a word of uncertain origin.

The extended meaning "child" is recorded as slang by 1590s, established in informal usage by 1840s. Applied to skillful young thieves and pugilists at least since 1812. Kid stuff "something easy" is from 1913 (the phrase was in use about that time in reference to vaudeville acts or advertisements featuring children, and to child-oriented features in newspapers).

In clothing, "made of soft leather," as though from the skin of a kid, but commercially often of other skins. Hence kid glove "a glove made of kidskin leather" is from 1680s; sense of "characterized by wearing kid gloves," therefore "dainty, delicate" is from 1856.

"tease playfully," 1839, earlier, in thieves' cant, "to coax, wheedle, hoax" (1811), probably from kid (n.), via notion of "treat as a child, make a kid of." Related: Kidded; kidding. Colloquial interjection no kidding! "that's the truth" is from 1914.

"playful teaser," 1888, agent noun from kid (v.).

1893, familiar form of kid (n.) in the "child" sense.

"undressed kid skin," 1884 (as an adjective, "of undressed kid," from 1874), a trade word, from French gants de Suède (used in English by 1859), literally "gloves of Sweden," from French Suède "Sweden" (see Swede). The imitation form was suedette (1915). Suede shoes attested from 1885.

also kiddie; 1570s as "young goat;" 1780 as "flash thief;" 1889 as "little child," from various senses of kid (n.) + -y (3). Other diminutives in the "small child" sense were kidlet (1889), kidling (1899). Related: Kiddies.

masc. proper name, from Old French Gilles, from Latin Egidius, Aegidius (name of a famous 7c. Provençal hermit who was a popular saint in the Middle Ages), from Greek aigidion "kid" (see aegis). Often used in English as a typical name of a simple-minded farmer.

"lamb, kid," 1630s, from yean + -ling.

"sensational chauvinism in the media," 1898, American English, from newspaper agitation for war with Spain; originally "publicity stunt use of colored ink" (1895) in reference to the popular Yellow Kid" character (his clothes were yellow) in Richard Outcault's comic strip "Shantytown" in the "New York World."

"clever person," 1914, probably a special use of whiz "something remarkable" (1908), an extended sense of whizz; or perhaps a shortened and altered form of wizard. Noun phrase whiz kid is from 1930s, a take-off on a radio show's quiz kid.