noun
kata
KA-tuh
Kata (noun) means a set sequence of movements and stances practised in martial arts to build technique and muscle memory. Example: “The students ran through their kata in perfect unison before the belt test.”
noun
1
A set sequence of movements and stances practised in martial arts to build technique and muscle memory.
"The students ran through their kata in perfect unison before the belt test."
"About fifty kata, or "formal exercises," are practiced at the present time, some having been passed down from generation to generation, others having been developed fairly recently."
— Masatoshi Nakayama, Best Karate: Heian (1979)
"Katas are a series of motions, such as punches, strikes, and kicks, arranged in a specific pattern. The pattern allows the motions to flow into one another. A student must learn a new kata to advance to each new belt level."
— Kelley MacAulay, Bobbie Kalman (2006)
2
A short, self-contained coding exercise practised repeatedly to sharpen a programmer's skills.
"He starts every morning with a quick coding kata before checking email."
How to use kata
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA fixed pattern of practice movements — in martial arts, a choreographed sequence of moves; in coding, a short practice exercise.
Common pairings
practice a kata
perform a kata
coding kata
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Word forms
- Plural
- katas
- Comparative
- more kata
- Superlative
- most kata
Fill the gap
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The students ran through their _____ in perfect unison before the belt test.
Etymology
From Japanese kata, literally "form" or "pattern"; the programming sense is a modern borrowing of the martial-arts term, in English use since the 1950s.
Class of 1950
kata joined the language around 1950.
See the full Class of 1950 →
Rhymes for kata
See all rhymes for kata →Frequently asked questions
What does “kata” mean?
The word “kata” means a set sequence of movements and stances practised in martial arts to build technique and muscle memory. In plain terms, a fixed pattern of practice movements — in martial arts, a choreographed sequence of moves; in coding, a short practice exercise.
How do you pronounce “kata”?
“Kata” is pronounced KA-tuh (/ˈkætə/ in IPA).
How do you use “kata” in a sentence?
Here is “kata” used in a sentence: “The students ran through their kata in perfect unison before the belt test.”
What part of speech is “kata”?
“Kata” is a noun.
Where does the word “kata” come from?
The word “kata” dates back to around 1950 and comes from Japanese. From Japanese kata, literally "form" or "pattern"; the programming sense is a modern borrowing of the martial-arts term, in English use since the 1950s.
How many meanings does “kata” have?
“Kata” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a set sequence of movements and stances practised in martial arts to build technique and muscle memory.
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