karate

noun

ka·​ra·​te kə-ˈrä-tē 

: a Japanese art of self-defense employing hand strikes and kicks to disable or subdue an opponent

karateist

kə-ˈrä-tē-ist 

noun

Examples of karate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s a hacker, an explosives girl, a guy who uses knives, two siblings who just…do karate and then a girl in a massive mech suit. —Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

His part-time job is teaching karate to 4- to 12-year-olds at Seven Spears Martial Arts Academy in Poway. —Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025

Han comes along to train Li in martial arts, while Danny LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), the original Karate Kid, arrives from California to teach Li karate. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 May 2025

Karate Kid: Legends No, three original movies, two spinoffs and one years-long series is not enough of a child doing karate, otherwise known as Karate Kid. —Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 30 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from kara empty + te hand

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for karate

• dotty
• doughty
• draughty
• haughty
• knotty
• naughty
• potty
• scottie
• spotty
• strati
• zloty
• basmati

Kids Definition

karate

noun

ka·​ra·​te kə-ˈrät-ē 

: a Japanese art of self-defense without a weapon

Etymology

from Japanese karate, literally, "empty hand"