Kata
/ˈkɑː.tə/noun
A formal sequence of movements practiced in Japanese martial arts.
Did you know?In Japanese martial-arts tradition, kata preserves techniques through choreographed practice, functioning almost like a physical archive passed from teacher to student.
Etymological Timeline
Old Japanese
Japanese
かた (kata)
“Form, shape, pattern, model, or established manner”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
型 (kata)
“A model or prescribed form used as a standard”
19th Century
Japanese
形・型 (kata)
“A formalized pattern or sequence, especially in traditional arts”
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
Japanese
空手形 (karate-gata) / kata
“Prescribed forms of movement in Japanese martial-arts training”
20th Century
English
kata
“A formal martial-arts sequence adopted as an English loanword”
Modern English
English
kata
“A choreographed pattern of techniques practiced in karate and other martial arts”