kist I. archaic past of kiss II. \ˈkist\noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English kiste, from Old Norse kista — more at chest chiefly dialect: any of various chests: as a.: a clothes or linen trunk b.: coffin III. variant of cist IV. noun (-s) Etymology: Arabic qisṭ India: an installment (as of land revenue) or the time for paying it