Origin and history of ka-

1793, cauvaut, "to prance, bustle nimbly or eagerly," American English, of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be an alteration of curvet "a leap by a horse," a word from French that is related to curve (v.). Or perhaps from ca-, ka-, colloquial intensive prefix + vault (v.) "to jump, leap." Modern form attested by 1829. Related: Cavorted; cavorting.

U.S. slang prefix, by 1836 as che-, 1843 as ker-, possibly from influence of German or Dutch ge-, past participial prefixes; or ultimately echoic of the sound of the fall of some heavy body.