caper
caper Lexical Profile
• noun
The small, unopened green flower bud of the Mediterranean caper bush, usually pickled in brine or vinegar and used as a pungent culinary vegetable, seasoning, or garnish.
"The chef topped the pan-seared salmon with lemon juice, fresh dill, and a handful of briny capers."
A playful, skipping leap orfrolicsome jump.
"The young lamb cut a joyful caper across the sunlit meadow."
An illicit, extravagant, or lighthearted escapade, prank, or heist.
"The classic film follows a group of amateur thieves planning an elaborate diamond caper in Monte Carlo."
A spiny, perennial trailing shrub (Capparis spinosa) of the family Capparaceae, native to the Mediterranean basin and cultivated for its edible flower buds and berries.
"Wild capers often grow out of dry stone walls and rocky coastal cliffs throughout southern Italy and Greece."
• verb
To skip, dance, or leap about in a lively, playful, or sprightly manner.
"The excited children capered around the living room on the first morning of their summer vacation."
• Rhymes for caper
Word Origin & Etymology
The word 'caper' represents two distinct homonyms: the playful leap comes from the 16th-century Italian 'capriola' (from Latin 'caper', meaning 'he-goat', referring to a goat's frisking jumps), while the culinary bud comes from Latin 'capparis' and Ancient Greek 'kapparis', likely of pre-Greek Mediterranean origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.