kappa
kappa Lexical Profile
kappa Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The tenth letter of the Greek alphabet (Κ, κ), transliterated as 'k', or a symbol representing various quantities in mathematics, physics, and statistics (such as curvature or inter-rater reliability).
"The statisticians calculated Cohen's kappa to measure the level of agreement between the two independent reviewers."
In Japanese folklore, an amphibious, green-skinned water sprite or yōkai with a turtle-like shell, webbed hands and feet, and a water-filled depression on the top of its head.
"According to traditional Japanese legends, a kappa loses its supernatural strength if the water in the dish on its head spills."
• Rhymes for kappa
Word Origin & Etymology
The letter sense comes from Ancient Greek káppa, adapted from the Phoenician letter kaph, meaning "palm of the hand." The mythological sense is borrowed from Japanese kappa, a compound of kawa ("river") and wappa ("child").