K K (kā), the eleventh letter of the English alphabet, is nonvocal consonant. The form and sound of the letter K are from the Latin, which used the letter but little except in the early period of the language. It came into the Latin from the Greek, which received it from a Phœnician source, the ultimate origin probably being Egyptian. Etymologically K is most nearly related to c , g , h (which see).

In many words of one syllable k is used after c , as in crack , check , deck , being necessary to exhibit a correct pronunciation in the derivatives, cracked , checked , decked , cracking ; since without it, c , before the vowels e and i , would be sounded like s . Formerly, k was added to c in certain words of Latin origin, as in musick , publick , republick ; but now it is omitted.

See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 240, 178, 179, 185.

Kaama Kaa"ma noun (Zoology) The hartbeest.

Kabala Kab"a·la noun See Cabala .

Kabassou Ka·bas"sou noun (Zoology) See Cabassou .

Kabob Ka·bob" noun & transitive verb See Cabob , noun & transitive verb

Kabook Ka·book" noun (min.) A clay ironstone found in Ceylon.

Kabyle Ka·byle" noun [ Arabic qabīla .] (Ethnol.) A Berber, as in Algiers or Tunis. See Berber .

Kadder Kad"der noun [ Confer Caddow .] (Zoology) The jackdaw.

Kadi, Kadiaster Ka"di, Ka`di·as"ter noun A Turkish judge. See Cadi .

Kafal Ka·fal" noun (Botany) The Arabian name of two trees of the genus Balsamodendron , which yield a gum resin and a red aromatic wood.

Kaffir Kaf"fir (kăf"fẽr), Ka"fir (kä"fẽr) noun [ Arabic kāfir infidel, pagan, from kafara to be skeptical in religious matters; -- a name given to certain infidel races by the Mohammedans. Confer Giaour .] (Ethnol.) (a) One of a race which, with the Hottentots and Bushmen, inhabit South Africa. They inhabit the country north of Cape Colony, the name being now specifically applied to the tribes living between Cape Colony and Natal; but the Zulus of Natal are true Kaffirs. (b) One of a race inhabiting Kafiristan in Central Asia. [ Spelt also Caffre .]

Kaffir corn (Botany) , a Cape Colony name for Indian millet.

Kaffle Kaf"fle noun See Coffle .

Kafilah Ka"fi·lah noun See Cafila .

Kaftan Kaf"tan n & v. See Caftan .

Kage Kage noun A chantry chapel inclosed with lattice or screen work.

Kagu Ka"gu noun (Zoology) A singular, crested, grallatorial bird (Rhinochetos jubatus) , native of New Caledonia. It is gray above, paler beneath, and the feathers of the wings and tail are handsomely barred with brown, black, and gray. It is allied to the sun bittern.

Kaguan Ka`gu·an" noun (Zoology) The colugo.

Kahani Ka"ha"ni noun A kind of notary public, or attorney, in the Levant.

Kahau Ka·hau" noun [ Native name, from its cry.] (Zoology) A long-nosed monkey ( Semnopithecus nasalis ), native of Borneo. The general color of the body is bright chestnut, with the under parts, shoulders, and sides of the head, golden yellow, and the top of the head and upper part of the back brown. Called also proboscis monkey . [ Written also kaha .]

Kail Kail noun 1. (Botany) A kind of headless cabbage. Same as Kale , 1.

2. Any cabbage, greens, or vegetables. [ Middle English or Scot.]

3. A broth made with kail or other vegetables; hence, any broth; also, a dinner. [ Scot.]

Kail yard , a kitchen garden. [ Scot.]

Kaimacam Kai`ma·cam" noun Same as Caimacam .

Kain Kain noun (Scots Law) Poultry, etc., required by the lease to be paid in kind by a tenant to his landlord. Wharton (Law Dict.).

Kainit Kai"nit noun [ Trade name, from kainite .] Salts of potassium used in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Kainite Kai"nite noun [ Greek ... recent.] (Min.) A compound salt consisting chiefly of potassium chloride and magnesium sulphate, occurring at the Stassfurt salt mines in Prussian Saxony.

Kainozoic Kai`no·zo"ic adjective See Cenozoic .

Kaique Ka·ique" noun (Nautical) See Caique .

Kairine Kai"rine noun (Chemistry) A pale buff or white crystalline alkaloid derived from quinoline, and used as an antipyretic in medicine.

Kairoline Kai`ro·line noun (Chemistry) An organic base obtained from quinoline. It is used as a febrifuge, and resembles kairine.

Kaiser Kai"ser noun [ Greek , from Latin Caesar . Confer Kesar , and Czar .] The ancient title of emperors of Germany assumed by King William of Prussia when crowned sovereign of the new German empire in 1871.

Kaka Ka"ka noun [ Maori kaka a parrot; -- so named from its note.] (Zoology) A New Zealand parrot of the genus Nestor , especially the brown parrot ( Nestor meridionalis ).

» The mountain kaka , or kea ( N. notabilis ), is remarkable for having recently acquired carnivorous habits. It attacks and kills lambs and pigs, sometimes doing great damage.

Night kaka . (Zoology) The kakapo.

Kakapo Ka`ka·po" noun (Zoology) A singular nocturnal parrot ( Strigops habroptilus ), native of New Zealand. It lives in holes during the day, but is active at night. It resembles an owl in its colors and general appearance. It has large wings, but can fly only a short distance. Called also owl parrot , night parrot , and night kaka .

Kakaralli Kak`a·ral"li noun A kind of wood common in Demerara, durable in salt water, because not subject to the depredations of the sea worm and barnacle.

Kakistocracy Kak`is·toc"ra·cy (kăk`ĭs*tŏk"rȧ*sȳ) noun [ Greek ka`kistos worst + kratei^n to rule.] Government by the worst men.

Kakoxene Ka·kox"ene noun See Cacoxene .

Kalan Ka·lan" noun (Zoology) The sea otter.

Kalasie Ka`la·sie" noun (Zoology) A long-tailed monkey of Borneo ( Semnopithecus rubicundus ). It has a tuft of long hair on the head.

Kale Kale noun [ Scot. kale , kail , cale , colewort, Gael. cael ; akin to Ir. cal , W. cawl , Armor. kaol . See Cole .]

1. (Botany) A variety of cabbage in which the leaves do not form a head, being nearly the original or wild form of the species. [ Written also kail , and cale .]

2. See Kail , 2.

Sea kale (Botany) , a European cruciferous herb ( Crambe maritima ), often used as a pot herb; sea cabbage.

Kaleege Ka·leege" noun (Zoology) One of several species of large, crested, Asiatic pheasants, belonging to the genus Euplocamus , and allied to the firebacks.

Kaleidophon, Kaleidophone Ka·lei"do·phon, Ka·lei"do·phone [ Greek ... beautiful + ... appearance, form + ... sound.] (Physics.) An instrument invented by Professor Wheatstone, consisting of a reflecting knob at the end of a vibrating rod or thin plate, for making visible, in the motion of a point of light reflected from the knob, the paths or curves corresponding with the musical notes produced by the vibrations.

Kaleidoscope Ka·lei"do·scope noun [ Greek ... beautiful + ... form + -scope .] An instrument invented by Sir David Brewster, which contains loose fragments of colored glass, etc., and reflecting surfaces so arranged that changes of position exhibit its contents in an endless variety of beautiful colors and symmetrical forms. It has been much employed in arts of design.

Shifting like the fragments of colored glass in the kaleidoscope .

G. W. Cable.

Kaleidoscopic, Kaleidoscopical Ka·lei`do·scop"ic, Ka·lei`do·scop"ic·al adjective Of, pertaining to, or formed by, a kaleidoscope; variegated.

Kalendar Kal"en·dar noun See Calendar .

Kalendarial Kal`en·da"ri·al adjective See Calendarial .

Kalender Kal"en·der noun See 3d Calender .

Kalends Kal"ends noun Same as Calends .

Kali Ka"li noun [ Sanskrit kali .] (Hind. Cosmog.) The last and worst of the four ages of the world; -- considered to have begun B. C. 3102, and to last 432,000 years.

Kali Ka"li noun [ Sanskrit kālī .] (Hind. Myth.) The black, destroying goddess; -- called also Doorga , Anna Purna .

Kali Ka"li noun [ Arabic qali . See Alkali .] (Botany) The glasswort ( Salsola Kali ).

Kalif Ka"lif noun See Caliph .

Kaliform Ka"li·form adjective [ Kali + - form .] Formed like kali, or glasswort.

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