katakana
[ kah-tuh-kah-nuh; Japanese kah-tah-kah-nah ]
noun
the more angular, less commonly used of the two Japanese syllabaries.
Origin of katakana
1- Compare hiragana.
Words Nearby katakana
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for katakana
katakana
/ (ˌkɑːtəˈkɑːnə) /
noun
one of the two systems of syllabic writing employed for the representation of Japanese, based on Chinese ideograms. It is used mainly for foreign or foreign-derived words
Origin of katakana
1Japanese, from kata side + kana
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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