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ker-

  1. an unstressed syllable prefixed to onomatopoeic and other expressive words, usually forming adverbs or interjections:

    kerflop; kerplunk; ker-splosh.



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Word History and Origins

Origin of ker-1

Perhaps from Scots dialect car-, cur-, currie- (as in carfuffle, carwhuffle “to disarrange,” carnaptious “iٲ,” curriebuction “a confused gathering, etc.”), based on car, earlier ker “left (hand or side),” from Scots Gaelic cearr “wrong, awkward, left-handed” (compare Middle Irish cerr “crooked, maimed”); variants without r probably reflect forms in r -less dialects

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