Nouns That Start With K

In its simplest form, a noun is defined as a person, place, thing, or idea. They're often preceded by articles, including "a," "an," and "the." Nouns typically function as the subject of a sentence. For example, "The ketchup is expired."

Nouns also work as the object of a sentence. That means they'll come after the verb. For example, "You are free to enter the kingdom." Nouns can also be names, including people, cities, and more.

The letter K is an interesting one. It may not be as prominent as, say, the letter A, but it certainly serves its purpose. When’s the last time you found yourself in a kerfuffle or you spotted a kestrel in the sky? Let’s take a look at 50 nouns that start with K and see which ones you’d like to add to your repertoire.

1. Kaleidoscope - a tube with mirrors and glass you can turn and create different patterns
2. Kangaroo - a hopping animal from Australia with a long tail
3. Karma - the destiny you earn through your actions and behavior
4. Kayak - a light, slender boat with pointed ends propelled by a paddle
5. Kazoo - a toy musical instrument that vibrates to give a buzzing quality to tones
6. Keenness - the quality of being astute
7. Keeper - one that has the charge or care of something
8. Keepsake - an object given by a person and retained in memory
9. Keg - a small barrel
10. Kennel - a place where dogs are bred or kept
11. Kenya - a country in Africa on the Indian Ocean
12. Kerbside - the side of the road, along which a kerb runs; a variant of “curbside”
13. Kerfuffle - a state of confusion or disorder
14. Kernel - a grain or seed
15. Kestrel - a small, reddish-gray European falcon that hovers in the air
16. Ketchup - a condiment consisting of smooth-textured sauce made from tomatoes
17. Kettle - a metal pot of other container used for boiling
18. Keyboard - a set of keys on a computer
19. Keychain - a small chain or strap for holding keys
20. Khaki - a sturdy, light brown cloth
21. Kickback - a bribe or incentive paid to someone who helped you make money
22. Kicker - one who kicks
23. Kidnapper - a person who took a person against their will
24. Kidney - an organ in the body that filters waste in the form of urine
25. Killer - a person, animal, or thing that kills habitually or wantonly
26. Kiln - a furnace for drying, burning, or baking something
27. Kilogram - a unit of measure equal to 1,000 grams or about 2.2 pounds
28. Kilt - a knee-length skirt with deep pleats, usually of a tartan wool
29. Kindness - the act of being caring or warm-spirited
30. Kingdom - a country or location ruled by a monarch
31. Kingpin - the main or essential person or thing
32. Kinship - a family relationship or other close relationship
33. Kiosk - a small booth where newspapers, magazines, and other related items are sold
34. Kiss - a touching of lips to someone or something
35. Kitchen - a room in home where food is cooked or prepared
36. Kite - a lightweight piece of fabric attached to a string that’s flown in the air
37. Klaxon - an electric horn with a loud, shrill sound
38. Kleptocracy - a corrupt political regime characterized by widespread theft of the nation’s wealth and resources
39. Kleptomania - an abnormal, persistent impulse to steal
40. Klutz - a clumsy, awkward person
41. Kneejerk - an automatic response to something
42. Knife - a tool with a sharp blade and a handle used for cutting
43. Knockout - a blow that knocks out an opponent
44. Knowledge - what is learned or understood
45. Knoll - a small hill or mound
46. Knuckle - a joint of the finger
47. Koala - an Australian animal with thick, gray fur, sharp claws, and large, tufted ears
48. Korean - a person born or living in Korea
49. Kudos - glory or praise for an achievement
50. kumquat - an orange-colored, oval fruit the size of a small plum with sour pulp

Nouns wear many hats. In fact, there are over 10 different types of nouns. Let’s start with proper nouns. If a noun is referring to a person or place, they're most likely acting as a proper noun (e.g. Wade, Savannah, Alabama, Spain, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa). An example of that would be, "She’s moving from Savannah to Spain."

The opposite of a proper noun is a common noun. These nouns refer to general, unspecified things. In the example above, Savannah and Spain are proper nouns. But, if that line read, "She’s moving from her old city to a new country," you'd know we were dealing with common nouns. They’re neither capitalized nor specific.

Other categories include compound nouns (e.g., checkout and truckful), countable nouns, possessive nouns, and pronouns. It's also common to see both nouns and pronouns in a single sentence: "Lexi expressed just how important the locket was to her."

There were some good ones in that list, right? How many novels have you read recently that focused on kleptocracy or featured kumquats as the lead character’s favorite fruit?

Let’s take a look at 10 sample sentences where the K-words are hard at work. Click on the link in each sentence to see more example sentences containing that K-noun:

1. The entire premise of the book is that karma is real.
2. That gold ring is her favorite keepsake from her mom.
3. I can’t get this kernel of popcorn out of my teeth!
4. Turn the kettle on for tea, please.
5. Daffodil tea is great for your kidneys.
6. Since Jamie was a Highlander, he always wore a kilt.
7. Tony Soprano was a kingpin in New Jersey.
8. That puppy is the cutest little klutz.
9. The boxer won the match by knockout.
10. I hope I can hold a koala at the zoo today.

Nouns aren't the only words that begin with K. Visit WordFinder by YourDictionary to discover a long list of words that start with the letter K that's arranged by the number of letters each word has. You can even adjust the list to see only terms of a certain list, or ones that begin or end with certain letters. Another option is to see words that include certain letters. You're sure to enjoy building your vocabulary of words that begin with this letter.

K-words are a great addition to an already-robust vocabulary. Perhaps your next short story can feature a Scottish Highlander wearing a kilt, firing up the kiln to roast last night’s kill. If not, you can create a kingdom suffering from the woes of kleptocracy (that gets saved by a kilt-wearing Highlander). Either way, this is a great letter to have in your back pocket for a rainy day. If you’re ready to walk on the wild side, then be sure to throw in a couple nouns that start with N!