English▸ noun an Asian system of unarmed combat using the hands and feet to deliver and block blows, widely practiced as a sport. It was formalized in Okinawa in the 17th century and popularized via Japan after about 1920. Karate is performed barefoot in loose padded clothing, with a colored belt indicating the level of skill, and involves mental as well as physical training.
– ORIGIN Japanese, from kara ‘empty’ + te ‘hand’.