# karaoke

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkæ.ɹiˌəʊ.ki/ · frequency rank #16,507

## Definitions
1. A form of entertainment popular in clubs, at parties, etc, in which individual members of the public sing along to pre-recorded instrumental versions of popular songs, the lyrics of which are displayed for the singer on a screen in time with the music.
2. A karaoke session.
3. A karaoke parlour.
4. An exercise in which the feet are alternately placed in front of each other while walking sideways to stretch various parts of the lower body and core.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Japanese 空
Ancient Greek ὀρχέομαι (orkhéomai)
Ancient Greek -τρᾰ (-tră)
Ancient Greek ὀρχήστρα (orkhḗstra)bor.
Latin orchēstrabor.
English orchestrabor.
Japanese オーケストラ
Japanese カラオケbor.
English karaoke
Borrowed from Japanese カラオケ (karaoke), from 空(から) (kara, “empty”) + オケ (oke, “orchestra”), a clipping of オーケストラ (ōkesutora), from English orchestra.

## Easily confused with
- **karate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/karaoke-vs-karate)

## Common misspellings (9)
`akraoke`, `kaaroke`, `karakoe`, `karaoek`, `karaokke`, `karoake`, `karraoke`, `kkaraoke`, `kraaoke`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/karaoke