Main Entry: ¹hand·i·cap

Pronunciation: \ˈhan-di-ˌkap, -dē-\

Function: noun

Etymology: obsolete English handicap, a game in which forfeit money was held in a cap, from hand in cap

Date: 1754

1 a : a race or contest in which an artificial advantage is given or disadvantage imposed on a contestant to equalize chances of winning b : an advantage given or disadvantage imposed usually in the form of points, strokes, weight to be carried, or distance from the target or goal
2 a : a disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult b sometimes offensive : a physical disability