Uke
/ˈuː.keɪ/noun
In martial arts, the person who receives or defends against an applied technique; informally, a ukulele.
Did you know?Uke comes from Japanese 受け, related to the verb 受ける, “to receive,” so its meaning is about receiving an action—not necessarily losing.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Japanese
Japanese
受く (uku)
“To receive, accept, or undergo”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
受ける (ukeru)
“To receive, accept, undergo, or take an action”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
受け (uke)
“A receiving action or the person receiving a technique”
20th Century
English
uke
“A martial-arts participant who receives a technique”
Modern English
English
uke
“A martial-arts receiver; informally, also a ukulele”