kamikaze
/ˌkæm.ɪˈkɑː.zi/
Japanese Origin
History
Original Word
神風
Kanji (kamikaze)
Entered English
1940s
First recorded usage in English
The Story Behind "kamikaze"
From Japanese 'kamikaze' (神風), literally 'divine wind', originally referring to typhoons that destroyed Mongol invasion fleets in the 13th century. In WWII, it referred to suicide pilots. Now used figuratively for reckless behavior.
Example Usage
"He took a kamikaze approach to the negotiations."