Kangaroo
Rather practically, all the consonants in the word kangaroo are velar, and it contains all the velar consonants of English.
Kid
The word was originally used to refer to a young goat, as is evidenced in the fairy tale “The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids”. It is now more and more widely used to refer to a child. It is used by more and more people in more and more contexts. It used to be much more restricted in use, being considered a highly informal word, almost exclusively used in spoken language. This development in itself is common enough, but this particular change also has a wider significance. If the word kid finally comes to completely replace the word child, it would also be a further regularisation of the formation of the plural of English nouns, children being one of the few remaining forms which deviate from the norm. Additionally, people are beginning to be less and less aware of the word’s original meaning, especially in the case of speakers of other languages, who use it in English or as a loanword in their language. As an English loanword in German, it is also adapted phonologically, final /d/ being devoiced to become /t/ in both singular and plural.
Kindergarten
Although the word is next to identical with German Kindergarten, it does not refer to the same thing. German children can spend serveral years at a Kindergarten, American children generally spend only one year at a kindergarten. This is the year prior to their enrolment at primary school. And they spend this year almost invariably at the same school they attend after the year at kindergarten. What adds to the confusion is the fact that what we call Kindergarten in American English is called pre-school.
Kiosk
English has borrowed this word from Turkish. Other examples include pasha and yoghurt. (Jucker 2000: 51)
Kit and kite
Both words have the letter , but the pronunciation is not the same. This is one of the typical mismatches between English spelling and pronunciation. However, there is method in the madness, although the madness may be more obvious than the method. The general principle is this: in closed syllables, i.e. syllables which end with a consonants, the letters a, e, i, o, u represent short vowels: bat, bet, kit, dog, put. In open syllables, however, they represent long vowels or diphthongs: baker, being, tiger, holy, ruling. That is: short vowels in closed syllables, long vowels/diphthongs in open syllables. Now, as both kit and kite are closed syllables, both should have a short /I/ . Nevertheless, kite doesn’t. And this is indicated by the silent at the end. It creates an artificially open syllable, so to speak. It explains that something is ‘against the rule’. Similarly, if we have a short vowel in an open syllable, i.e. again something which is ‘against the rule’, this is indicated in spelling, this time by double letters: manner, better, filling, hopper, putting. (Erickson & Gymnich 2006: 62-3)
Kiwi
Probably the best known loanword from Maori. It can refer to a bird, to a fruit, or to a New Zealander. (Jucker 2000: 64)