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

Example Sentences

"Stranger Things definitely needs to switch off its boombox, hang up its catapults and admit it's too old for these capers, but it's worth indulging it one last time," Seale wrote.

From BBC

The ding on these capers is that there’s always too much casting.

From Los Angeles Times

Don’t forget the recently completed fifth season of the spy caper “Slow Horses,” which leaned more into dark comedy and may have been its best and most well-balanced season yet.

From MarketWatch

Co-written and directed by Rebecca Zlotowski with comic undertones, it’s a caper about an American therapist living in France who suspects she hasn’t been told the truth about a patient’s demise.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet what is being marketed as a funny caper grows increasingly bleak.

From The Wall Street Journal