noun Uncommon

kappa

KA-puh

Kappa (noun) means the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Κ, κ). Example: “Kappa sits between iota and lambda in the Greek alphabet.”

noun

The tenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Κ, κ).

"Kappa sits between iota and lambda in the Greek alphabet."

In finance, a measure of how sensitive an option’s price is to changes in the expected volatility of the underlying asset.

"A high kappa means the option’s value swings sharply with volatility changes."

In Japanese folklore, a mischievous water-dwelling creature resembling a small, turtle-like humanoid.

"Local legend warned children to stay away from the river because of the kappa."

intj

Internet slang used to flag a statement as sarcastic or not meant literally, from a Twitch emote of the same name.

"Yeah, sure, I totally meant to lose that match. Kappa."

How to use kappa

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA Greek letter, a finance term for volatility sensitivity, a Japanese water spirit, or (online) a sarcasm marker — four unrelated meanings sharing one spelling.

Word forms

kappas plural, kappas plural, Kappas plural

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_____ sits between iota and lambda in the Greek alphabet.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek kappa, the letter name. The internet slang sense is unrelated, taken from "Kappa," the name of a popular sarcasm emote on the streaming platform Twitch.

Origin: Ancient Greek

Rhymes for kappa

Zappa Pappa grappa

See all rhymes for kappa →

Frequently asked questions

What does “kappa” mean?

The word “kappa” means the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Κ, κ). In plain terms, a Greek letter, a finance term for volatility sensitivity, a Japanese water spirit, or (online) a sarcasm marker — four unrelated meanings sharing one spelling.

How do you pronounce “kappa”?

“Kappa” is pronounced KA-puh (/ˈkæpə/ in IPA).

How do you use “kappa” in a sentence?

Here is “kappa” used in a sentence: “Kappa sits between iota and lambda in the Greek alphabet.”

What part of speech is “kappa”?

Depending on how it is used, “kappa” can be a noun and an intj.

Where does the word “kappa” come from?

The word “kappa” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek kappa, the letter name. The internet slang sense is unrelated, taken from "Kappa," the name of a popular sarcasm emote on the streaming platform Twitch.

Is “kappa” a common word?

“Kappa” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “kappa” have?

“Kappa” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Κ, κ).

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Words that start with K