koppa

American  

[kop-uh] / ˈkɒp ə /

noun

1. a letter (, ) of some early Greek alphabets, occurring between pi and rho and equivalent to Latin Q: later superseded by kappa except for its use as a numeral for 90.

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koppa British  

/ ˈkɒpə /

noun

1. a consonantal letter in the Greek alphabet pronounced like kappa (K) with the point of articulation further back in the throat. It became obsolete in classical (Attic) Greek orthography, but was passed on to the Romans who incorporated it into their alphabet as Q

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Etymology

Origin of koppa

1865–70; < Greek kóppa < Semitic; akin to Hebrew qōph koph

Example Sentences

Koppa says police recovered some of the swiped bags.

From Washington Times • Jan. 18, 2016

He saw them all: Koppa, Fontaine, Pelé, Charlton, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona, Platini, Zidane.Yet, his favorite team was the great Hungary, the of the 50’s, the Magnificent Magyars.

From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2012

Race-horses of the best breed were marked with the old letter Koppa.

From A Handbook to the Works of Browning (6th ed.) by Orr, Sutherland, Mrs.

Koppa is probably a formation from "hoppa koppati," an imitation of the sound of the hoofs.

From The Mind of the Child, Part II The Development of the Intellect, International Education Series Edited By William T. Harris, Volume IX. by Preyer, William T.