kappa

English

Ancient Greek Alphabet

← iota		→ lambda
Κ κ Ancient Greek: κάππα
Wikipedia article on kappa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæpə/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æpə
• Homophone: cappa

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa), ultimately from Proto-Semitic *kapp- (“palm, hand”). Doublet of kaph.

Noun

kappa (countable and uncountable, plural kappas)

1. The tenth letter of the Greek alphabet.
2. (finance) A measurement of the sensitivity of the value of an option to changes in the implied volatility of the price of the underlying asset.

Synonyms

• (measure of derivative price sensitivity): tau, vega

Hypernyms

• (measure of derivative price sensitivity): Greeks (includes list of coordinate terms)

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

English Wikipedia has an article on:

Kappa (folklore)

Wikipedia

From Japanese 河童 (kappa, “water imp”).

Noun

kappa (plural kappas)

1. (Japanese mythology) A tortoise-like demon or imp.
   • 2013, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Kitsune-Mochi: Kitsune Tales #2‎, page 94:

     It was not quite possible for a kappa to go pale, but this one managed, shrinking partly into its shell.

Translations

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

Noun

kappa f (plural kappes)

1. Kappa; the Greek letter Κ (lowercase κ)

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Noun

kappa n or f

1. Alternative form of kapa

Declension

when feminine:

Indeclinable when neuter.

Further reading

• kappa in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• kappa in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Dutch

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa). Doublet of kaf.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

kappa f (plural kappa's, diminutive kappaatje n)

1. kappa (letter of the Greek alphabet)

Further reading

• kappa on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑpːɑ/,
• Rhymes: -ɑpːɑ
• Syllabification^(key): kap‧pa

Etymology 1

Borrowing from Germanic, not clearly dateable: compare Old Saxon skap (“a measure”), Old High German scaf (“vessel”), from Proto-Germanic *skapaz, which is possibly a derivative of *skapjaną (“to shape”) (compare also *skappijǭ in Danish skæppe, Old Norse skeppa, Estonian dialectal käpp (“measure”)). Cognate within Finnic with Estonian kapp, Ingrian kappa, Karelian kappa, Ludian kappe, nominally reconstructible as Proto-Finnic *kappa.

Noun

kappa

1. (historical) a unit of measure for the volume of dry goods, equivalent to 1/32 of a tynnyri or 4.58 litres in the Kingdom of Sweden and 1/30 of a tynnyri or 5.4961 litres in the Russian Empire
2. in modern use, a unit of measure for the volume of dry goods used in farmers' markets especially for potatoes, equal to 5 litres, or 2 litres for pikku kappa
3. a measuring vessel of one kappa, roughly cubical and typically made of wood

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Swedish: kappe

Further reading

• “1. kappa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Swedish kappa, from Medieval Latin cappa.

Noun

kappa

1. pelmet
2. women's overcoat

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

• “2. kappa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

Etymology 3

Finnish Wikipedia has an article on:

Kappa (kirjain)

Wikipedia ^fi

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa).

Noun

kappa

1. kappa (tenth letter of Greek alphabet)

Declension

Further reading

• “3. kappa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Japanese かっぱ.

Noun

kappa

1. (Japanese mythology) kappa (mythical creature)

Declension

References

Further reading

• Häkkinen, Kaisa (2004) Nykysuomen etymologinen sanakirja [Modern Finnish Etymological Dictionary] (in Finnish), Juva: WSOY, →ISBN

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.pa/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

kappa m (plural kappa)

1. kappa (Greek letter)

Further reading

• “kappa”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Hungarian

Hungarian Wikipedia has an article on:

kappa

Wikipedia ^hu

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):
• Hyphenation: kap‧pa
• Rhymes: -pɒ

Noun

kappa (plural kappák)

1. kappa (Greek letter)

Declension

Icelandic

Noun

kappa f or n (genitive singular köppu or kappa, no plural)

1. kappa (Greek letter)

Declension

Feminine declension:

Neuter declension:

Ingrian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *kappa. Cognates include Finnish kappa and Estonian kapp.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑpːɑ/,
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑpːɑ/,
• Rhymes: -ɑpː, -ɑpːɑ
• Hyphenation: kap‧pa

Noun

kappa

1. a unit of dry volume equivalent to about 9.16 liters

Usage notes

• One kappa is equal to one-fourth of a vakka.

Declension

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 134

Italian

Italian Wikipedia has an article on:

kappa

Wikipedia ^it

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkap.pa/
• Homophone: cappa
• Rhymes: -appa
• Hyphenation: kàp‧pa

Noun

kappa m or f (invariable)

1. the name of the Greek-script letter Κ/κ; kappa
2. The name of the Latin-script letter K.; kay

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) lettera; a, bi, ci, di, e, effe, gi, acca, i, gei / i lunga, cappa, elle, emme, enne, o, pi, cu, erre, esse, ti, u, vu / vi, doppia vu, ics, ipsilon / i greca, zeta

Japanese

Romanization

kappa

1. Rōmaji transcription of かっぱ

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• kappen

Noun

kappa m or f

1. definite feminine singular of kappe

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Noun

kappa n

1. definite plural of kapp

Verb

kappa (present tense kappar, past tense kappa, past participle kappa, passive infinitive kappast, present participle kappande, imperative kappa/kapp)

1. to cut, chop something off quickly in one go

Alternative forms

• kappe

Etymology 2

Noun

kappa f

1. (non-standard since 2012) Alternative form of kappe
2. definite singular of kappe

Etymology 3

Verb

kappa (present tense kappar, past tense kappa, past participle kappa, passive infinitive kappast, present participle kappande, imperative kappa/kapp)

1. to compete in something

Alternative forms

• kappe

Etymology 4

Noun

kappa m (definite singular kappaen, indefinite plural kappaer or kappaar, definite plural kappaene or kappaane)

1. kappa, a Greek letter

Etymology 5

Noun

kappa m (definite singular kappaen, indefinite plural kappaer or kappaar, definite plural kappaene or kappaane)

1. kappa a Japanese mythological creature

Pali

Alternative forms

Adjective

kappa

1. fit, suitable, worthy
   • Mah. 85, (Can we date this quote?): “kappākappesu kovido ― skilled in distinguishing suitable and unsuitable things”
   • Mah. 124, (Can we date this quote?): “Phalāni Buddhakappāni ― fruits worthy of the Buddha”
2. nearly equal to, rivalling, resembling, like
   • Alw. I. 54, (Can we date this quote?): “Satthukappo ― like the Teacher himself”

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them! Particularly: “These quotations need cleaning up.”

Declension

Noun

kappa m

1. time
2. a short time, moment

   Atthi kappo nippajjítuṁ

   There is a brief space to lie down.

3. precept, rule, ordinance
4. rules concerning rites, one of the Vedaṅgas
5. practice, usage, mode
   • Dh. 394, (Can we date this quote?): “Jīvitakappo ― mode of life”
6. alternative, permission
   • Mah. 15; Pát. xxxix, (Can we date this quote?): “Kappati dvaṅgulakappo. ― Permission is granted to extend the allotted tome for the mid-day meal to two inches of the sun's shadow after noon. (literally, “The two-inch alternative is allowable.”)”
   • Pát. 97, (Can we date this quote?): “Aññatra kappā ― without leave”
7. a chapter or section of a book
8. thought
9. whole
   • Kh. 4, (Can we date this quote?): “Kevalakappaṃ Jetavanaṃ ― the whole of Jetavana”
10. a vast period, age, world cycle

    Niccaṁ kappaṁ

    always

11. Kappabindu

    Synonym: kappabindu

Declension

Derived terms

• vikappa

References

Further reading

• Pali Text Society (1921–1925) “kappa”, in Pali-English Dictionary‎, London: Chipstead

Polish

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:

kappa

Wikipedia ^pl

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkap.pa/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -appa
• Syllabification: kap‧pa

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa), from Phoenician 𐤊 (k /⁠kāp⁠/).

Noun

kappa f

1. kappa (Greek letter Κ, κ)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Japanese 河童 (kappa).

Noun

kappa f

1. (Japanese mythology) kappa (Greek letter Κ, κ)

Declension

Further reading

• kappa in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa).

Noun

kappa m (plural kappa)

1. kappa

Declension

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkapa/
• Rhymes: -apa
• Syllabification: kap‧pa

Noun

kappa f (plural kappas)

1. kappa; the Greek letter Κ, κ

   Synonym: cappa

Further reading

• “kappa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

Swedish

Swedish Wikipedia has an article on:

Kappa (garment)

Wikipedia ^sv

Etymology 1

According to NE: From Old Swedish kappa, from Medieval Latin cappa.

According to SAOB online: From Old Swedish kappa, from Middle Low German kappe, ultimately from Late Latin cappa.

According to Svensk etymologisk ordbok: From Old Swedish kappa, from Middle Low German kappe, borrowed from a Romance language, from Medieval Latin cappa, byform of cāpa, probably shortenings of a word derived from Latin caput (“head”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkaˌpːa/,

• audio

  (file)

Noun

kappa c

1. women's overcoat
2. pelmet

Declension

Derived terms

• kapprum
• vända kappan efter vinden

Descendants

• → Finnish: kappa

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek κάππα (káppa).

Noun

kappa n

1. kappa (Greek letter)

Declension

References

• kappa in Nationalencyklopedin (needs an authorization fee).
• kappa in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• kappa in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)