Kaput is an adjective signifying something is broken, useless, or completely destroyed. It originated from a French card game term, was adopted by German, and then entered English with this meaning.
Kaput is an adjective meaning 'broken, useless, or destroyed.' It originated from a card game term in French and was adopted into German as 'kaputt' before the English adopted it, meaning 'finished.'
| Word | kaput |
|---|---|
| Date | June 26, 2018 |
| Type | adjective |
| Syllables | kuh-PUT |
| Etymology | Kaput originated with a card game called piquet that has been popular in France for centuries. French players originally used the term capot to describe both big winners and big losers in piquet. To win all twelve tricks in a hand was called "faire capot" ("to make capot"), but to lose them all was known as "être capot" ("to be capot"). German speakers adopted capot, but respelled it kaputt, and used it only for losers. When English speakers borrowed the word from German, they started using kaput for things that were broken, useless, or destroyed. |
| Examples | "Sure, there are still top-billed behemoths capable of guaranteeing a strong opening, like Dwayne Johnson and Leonardo DiCaprio, but for the most part, the idea of a box office movie star is kaput." — Brandon Katz, The Observer, 19 May 2018 "Whether a jagged maw of grinning shark teeth, or a perpetually surprised oval, the automobile grille serves a very important function: it allows air to flow in, cooling the radiator and generally keeping the engine from overheating and going kaput." — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 1 Apr. 2018 |
| Definition | 1 : utterly finished, defeated, or destroyed 2 : unable to function : useless 3 : hopelessly outmoded |
Tags: wordoftheday::adjective
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