children's game played with small, brightly-coloured plastic pieces
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malay
kuti
tear or pull into tiny pieces
etymology notes
Likely describing the tiny game pieces, or how they were made. Compare similar or derived Malay terms such as menguti ("to tear or pull into tiny pieces") and sekutil ("a little/tiny piece"). While unlikely, compare also Malay kutu ("louse; flea", from which English cootie, "louse"), which may refer to how the tiny, animal-shaped pieces resemble lice or fleas that appear to be 'jumping' about as they are flipped.
expand for detailsDetailed etymology
definitions
noun
a small, brightly-coloured plastic game piece, often molded in the shape of an animal, used in the traditional children's game kuti-kuti