Etymologically
Log in

kamikaze

Etymology and origin of the English word kamikaze

History Permalink

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌkɑː.mɪˈkɑː.ziː/ (UK); /ˌkɑ.mɪˈkɑ.zi/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Japanese 神風 (kamikaze, “divine wind”),[2][3][4][5][6] from kami “god, divine” and kaze “wind”.[2][3][4][5][6] It was originally the name of a typhoon that in 1281 saved Japan by destroying the invading Mongol fleet of Kublai Khan.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The wind of the gods, as an explanatory term in English (1896).[7]

Semantic evolution

In the Second World War the name was given to the Japanese pilots who made suicidal crash attacks on enemy targets, especially ships;[2][5][6][7] the attacks began in October 1944 off the Philippines,[4] and the word is recorded in English from 1945.[3][4][5][7] It also named an aircraft loaded with explosives for such an attack.[2][5][7] The adjective is from 1946,[4][7] and in a transferred sense means recklessly self-destructive.[2][5][7]

Timeline

  • 1281 – the typhoon that wrecked the Mongol fleet.[2][3][4]
  • 1896 – the wind of the gods, in English.[7]
  • October 1944 – the first suicide attacks.[4]
  • 1945 – a suicide pilot or aircraft.[3][4][5][7]
  • 1946 – adjective.[4][7]
  • 1963 – reckless, self-destructive.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A Japanese pilot in the Second World War trained to make a suicidal crash attack, especially on a ship.
  2. An aircraft loaded with explosives, used in such an attack.
  3. An extremely reckless person.
  4. A cocktail of vodka, triple sec and lime juice.

Adjective

  1. Of or relating to a suicidal attack.
  2. So reckless as to be suicidal.

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Kamikaze.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/kamikaze. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·