kaput
UK[kəˈpʊt]US[kəˈpʊt]
adj
Broken and useless; no longer working or effective.
Etymology
The word 'kaput' entered English from German, where 'kaputt' means broken, ruined, or finished. The German term itself was borrowed in the 19th century from the French card-playing phrase 'faire capot,' meaning 'to win all the tricks' in the game of piquet, which implied defeating the opponent completely. The French 'capot' is thought to be of obscure origin, possibly from a dialectal term for a hood or cloak, metaphorically suggesting something being covered or done for. Thus, the journey from a French game to a German descriptor of failure culminated in its adoption into English slang to describe a state of definitive breakdown or collapse.
Analysis
This word is a loanword adopted as a single, unanalyzable unit in English.
Examples
After the storm, the old radio was finally kaput.
Their plans for a weekend getaway went kaput when the car wouldn't start.
The negotiations are kaput unless both sides compromise.