kamikaze

Everyday

1. (history) In the Second World War, Japanese pilots who flew planes full of explosives into enemy ships on purpose, dying in the attack; also their planes. tree →
2. (informal) Kamikaze describes something wildly reckless, as if you did not care about getting hurt: a kamikaze run down the hill. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons about the Second World War in the Pacific; in everyday talk about crazy, dangerous moves. The Japanese word means divine wind. Phrases: kamikaze pilot, kamikaze attack.

Examples

• Kamikaze pilots attacked American ships near the end of the war. tree →
• The word kamikaze means divine wind in Japanese. tree →
• The cat made a kamikaze leap off the fridge. tree →
• That was a kamikaze tackle, you could have got hurt. tree →
• Many young kamikaze pilots were barely adults. tree →
• The fly made kamikaze dives at the lamp. tree →

Note

Say ka-mi-KAH-zee. Japanese word. Be respectful: real kamikaze attacks killed many people on both sides. The informal sense is about recklessness.