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ca·per²

(kāpər)

1. A usually spiny Mediterranean shrub (Capparis spinosa) having white to pale lilac flowers and dehiscent fruits with reddish pulp.

2. A pickled flower bud of this plant, used as a pungent condiment in sauces, relishes, and various other dishes.

[Middle English capar, ultimately (probably via back-formation from earlier caperis, caper bush, taken as a plural with the ending -s) from Latin capparis, from Greek kapparis, of unknown origin.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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