taekwondo
/ˌtaɪ.kwɒnˈdoʊ/
Korean Origin
Martial Arts
Original Word
태권도
Hangul (taegwondo)
Entered English
1950s
First recorded usage in English
The Story Behind "taekwondo"
From Korean 'taegwondo' (태권도), literally 'the way of foot and fist' (tae = foot, kwon = fist, do = way). Developed in the 1940s-50s and became an official Olympic sport in 2000.
Example Usage
"Taekwondo emphasizes high kicks and fast spinning techniques."