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Where does the word "kaput" come from? It comes from French capot, passing through German before entering English (1900s).
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Where does the word "kaput" come from? It comes from French capot, passing through German before entering English (1900s).
Kaput’s story begins in French: capot meant “to sweep a card game.” A card-game term meaning to win all the tricks, leaving an opponent with none. By 1800s, the word had taken hold in German as kaputt. From French 'être capot', to lose every trick at the card game piquet. It reached English by 1900s as kaput. Popularized by soldiers returning from Germany after the World Wars. Today, kaput means broken, ruined, or no longer functioning.
- Stage 1 · French · medieval capot "to sweep a card game", a card-game term meaning to win all the tricks, leaving an opponent with none.
- Stage 2 · German · 1800s kaputt "broken, ruined", from French 'être capot', to lose every trick at the card game piquet.
- Stage 3 · English · 1900s kaput "broken and unable to function", popularized by soldiers returning from Germany after the World Wars.