1497: kaput and capot Jan 17, 2019

Many languages from across Europe have a word like 'kaput', each with relatively similar meaning, with perhaps one major exception. The French word 'capot' only refers to a specific move in the card game piquet, but this word 'capot' is the origin for all the rest of these words. As it happens, it is thought that the French term did originally come from another meaning 'castrate', but has since moved on, whereas the rest of these European words stuck with a meaning like 'destroyed'.
Follow Word Facts on Youtube and support it on Patreon and get even more:
Previous
Previous

1498: Impossible Definitions Jan 18, 2019

Next
Next

1496: Arab Spring Started in Winter. Jan 16, 2019