kamikaze

American  

[kah-mi-kah-zee] / ˌkɑ mɪˈkɑ zi /

noun

1. (during World War II) a member of a special corps in the Japanese air force charged with the suicidal mission of crashing an aircraft laden with explosives into an enemy target, especially a warship.

2. an airplane used for this purpose.

3. a person or thing that behaves in a wildly reckless or destructive manner.

   We were nearly run down by a kamikaze on a motorcycle.

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adjective

1. of, pertaining to, undertaken by, or characteristic of a kamikaze.

   a kamikaze pilot; a kamikaze attack.

kamikaze British  

/ ˌkæmɪˈkɑːzɪ /

noun

1. (in World War II) one of a group of Japanese pilots who performed suicidal missions by crashing their aircraft, loaded with explosives, into an enemy target, esp a ship

2. an aircraft used for such a mission

3. (modifier) (of an action) undertaken or (of a person) undertaking an action in the knowledge that it will result in the death of the person performing it in order that maximum damage may be inflicted on an enemy

   a kamikaze attack

   a kamikaze bomber

4. (modifier) extremely foolhardy and possibly self-defeating

   kamikaze pricing

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kamikaze Cultural  

1. Japanese fighter pilots in World War II, trained to make suicide crashes into Allied ships.

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Etymology

Origin of kamikaze

1940–45; < Japanese, equivalent to kami ( y ) god (earlier *kamui ) + kaze wind (earlier *kanzai

Example Sentences

The Shahed External link unmanned aerial vehicle is a car-size kamikaze drone that costs tens of thousands of dollars and is used by Iranian forces.

From Barron's

For its part, the U.S. has deployed a new kamikaze drone for the first time, and analysts say that other American UAVs, including the Reaper, will have been in action for surveillance and attack.

From The Wall Street Journal

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said he could take a controlled risk with Kylian Mbappe's fitness ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday against Barcelona, but would not be "kamikaze".

From Barron's

The Pentagon is deploying to the Middle East a new kamikaze drone copied from a widely used Iranian version, turning to a crude but effective weapon.

From The Wall Street Journal

On December 7, 1941, Japanese kamikaze fighter planes, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

From Literature