capers

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ca•per¹ /ˈkeɪpɚ/   v. [no object]

1. to skip about in a happy, light manner:
   lambs capering in the meadows.

n. [countable]

2. a playful leap or skip.
3. a prank or trick;
   silly act:
   a student caper.
4. Slang Terms Slang. a criminal act, as a robbery.

ca•per² /ˈkeɪpɚ/   n. [countable]

1. Plant Biology a spiny bush of Mediterranean regions, having single white flowers.
2. Food its flower bud, pickled and used as a seasoning.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ca•per¹  (kā′pər), v.i. 

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

n. 

2. a playful leap or skip.
3. a prank or trick;
   harebrained escapade.
4. a frivolous, carefree episode or activity.
5. Slang Terms a criminal or illegal act, as a burglary or robbery.
6. Idioms cut a caper. See cut (def. 44a).

• a West Indo-European term *kap-(e)ro- for a domesticated smaller animal); for the meaning, compare dog (verb, verbal)
• fig. use of Latin caper he-goat (cognate with Old English hæfer, Old Norse hafr, Old Irish caera sheep 1585–95

ca′per•er, n. 
ca′per•ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 3. stunt, antic, shenanigans.
• 4. spree, frolic.

ca•per²  (kā′pər), n. 

1. Plant Biology a spiny shrub, Capparis spinosa, of Mediterranean regions, having roundish leaves and solitary white flowers.
2. Plant Biology, Food its flower bud, which is pickled and used for garnish or seasoning. Cf. caper family.

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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

caper / ˈkeɪpə/ noun

1. a playful skip or leap
2. a high-spirited escapade
3. cut a caper, cut capers ⇒ to skip or jump playfully

verb

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

Etymology: 16th Century: probably from capriole

ˈcaperer noun

ˈcaperingly adverb

caper / ˈkeɪpə/ noun

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

Etymology: 15th Century: from earlier capers, capres (assumed to be plural), from Latin capparis, from Greek kapparis