noun

caper

KAY-puh

Caper (noun) means a playful, high-spirited jump or leap. Example: “The puppy did a joyful caper across the lawn.”

noun

A playful, high-spirited jump or leap.

"The puppy did a joyful caper across the lawn."

A carefully planned, often elaborate crime, especially a robbery — or a story about one.

"The film follows a gang plotting an elaborate casino caper."

"The heist caper kept audiences guessing until the final twist."

The small, pickled flower bud of the caper plant, used as a pungent, salty seasoning.

"She added capers to the pasta sauce for a briny kick."

verb

To leap or skip about playfully.

"The children capered around the garden in the first snow."

How to use caper

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA playful jump, an elaborate crime story, or (unrelated in modern use) a pickled flower bud used in cooking.

Common pairings

a heist caper caper about capers and lemon

Word forms

capered past tense, capers plural, capers plural, capers plural, capers plural, capers singular

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The puppy did a joyful _____ across the lawn.

Etymology

A shortened form of "capriole," a leaping movement, ultimately from Latin caper ("goat") — goats being known for their bouncy jumps.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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romp frolic antic heist gambol skip

Related words

play sport joke jump hoping steal hop skip

Rhymes for caper

paper taper reaper diaper draper newspaper wallpaper sandpaper whitepaper skyscraper

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Frequently asked questions

What does “caper” mean?

The word “caper” means a playful, high-spirited jump or leap. In plain terms, a playful jump, an elaborate crime story, or (unrelated in modern use) a pickled flower bud used in cooking.

How do you pronounce “caper”?

“Caper” is pronounced KAY-puh (/ˈkeɪpɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “caper” in a sentence?

Here is “caper” used in a sentence: “The puppy did a joyful caper across the lawn.”

What part of speech is “caper”?

Depending on how it is used, “caper” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “caper” come from?

The word “caper” comes from Latin. A shortened form of "capriole," a leaping movement, ultimately from Latin caper ("goat") — goats being known for their bouncy jumps.

How many meanings does “caper” have?

“Caper” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a playful, high-spirited jump or leap.

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