What defines a kite in geometry?

A kite in geometry is defined as a quadrilateral that has two distinct pairs of adjacent sides that are equal in length. This means that in a kite, you can organize the sides into two pairs where each pair consists of sides that are adjacent to one another, and each of these pairs has the same length.

For example, if you label the vertices of a kite as A, B, C, and D, making sure that AB is equal to AD in length and BC is equal to CD in length, this arrangement creates the characteristic shape of a kite. Furthermore, in a kite, the diagonals intersect at right angles, and one of the diagonals bisects the other, contributing to its unique properties.

The other choices misrepresent the definitions of other quadrilaterals. For instance, having all sides equal would correspond to a rhombus or a square, not a kite. A shape with two pairs of parallel sides is a parallelogram, and one pair of opposite sides parallel describes a trapezoid. Hence, the defining feature of a kite is that it has two unequal pairs of adjacent sides that are equal, distinctly setting it apart from other quadrilaterals.