caper

¹ American  

[key-per] / ˈkeɪ pər /

verb (used without object)

1. to leap or skip about in a sprightly manner; prance; frisk; gambol.

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noun

1. a playful leap or skip.

2. a prank or trick; harebrained escapade.

   Synonyms:

   antic, stunt

3. a frivolous, carefree episode or activity.

   Synonyms:

   frolic, spree

4. Slang. a criminal or illegal act, as a burglary or robbery.

idioms

1. cut a caper. cut.

caper ² American  

[key-per] / ˈkeɪ pər /

noun

1. a spiny shrub, Capparis spinosa, of Mediterranean regions, having roundish leaves and solitary white flowers.

2. its flower bud, which is pickled and used for garnish or seasoning.

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caper ¹ British  

/ ˈkeɪpə /

noun

1. a playful skip or leap

2. a high-spirited escapade

3. 1. to skip or jump playfully

   2. to act or behave playfully; frolic

4. slang a crime, esp an organized robbery

5. informal a job or occupation

6. informal a person's behaviour

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verb

1. (intr) to leap or dance about in a light-hearted manner

caper ² British  

/ ˈkeɪpə /

noun

1. a spiny trailing Mediterranean capparidaceous shrub, Capparis spinosa, with edible flower buds

2. any of various similar plants or their edible parts See also bean caper capers

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Other Word Forms

• caperer
  noun
• caperingly
  adverb
• uncapering
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of caper¹

First recorded in 1585–95; probably shortening and alteration of capriole ( def. )

Origin of caper²

1350–1400; back formation from capers (taken for plural), Middle English caperes < Latin capparis < Greek kápparis

Explanation

A goofy little joke or prank, a crime, or a ridiculous adventure is called a caper. For example, your quest for an American newspaper turned into a caper that took you all over the Irish countryside. Caper originates from the Italian word capriolare, meaning “jump in the air,” and indeed, one meaning is "frolicking play or light-hearted dancing." Little kids like to caper at family parties — it gets them tons of attention. Other kinds of capers might get you jail time because a caper can also be an outlandish crime spree, or a wild activity. Finally, capers are the very flavorful pickled flower bud found in Mediterranean cooking.

Example Sentences

Pierce Brosnan starred in 1999 art house caper The Thomas Crown Affair, which itself was a remake of a 1968 film of the same title.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

But weighing in on an international chocolate-bar caper is pretty low-risk, said Davia Temin, the founder of reputation and crisis management consultancy Temin and Company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

A crime caper blended with off‑beat comedy, fans of "Derry Girls" will instantly recognise McGee's love of the absurd and larger‑than‑life characters.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

At the time, Skimehorn had no idea she was being drawn into an international caper with no parallel in recent history.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

There would be more stories about how poor the brute was; his age; his evil disposition and his latest caper.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston