# Define "Kipion" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 13, 2019, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491 "2019-04-13T09:46:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/1 "2019-04-13T09:46:43Z")
Being the name used by the Royal Navy for its operations in my neck of the woods. Any idea as to the origin of this word? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/2 "2019-04-13T12:12:30Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Being the name used by the Royal Navy for its operations in my neck of the woods. Any idea as to the origin of this word? It’s [randomly generated](https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-12831743): A UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokeswoman says ELLAMY has been randomly generated by a computer programme. It’s how all military operations are named and it’s done this way so the name doesn’t relate in any way to the action. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/3 "2019-04-13T12:19:40Z")
[More info:](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_name#Military_operations_since_Churchill) Presently, British forces tend to use one-word names, presumably in keeping with their post-World War II policy of reserving single words for operations and two-word names for exercises. British operation code names are usually randomly generated by a computer and rarely reveal its components or any political implications unlike the American names (e.g., the 2003 invasion of Iraq was called “Operation Telic” compared to Americans’ “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, obviously chosen for propaganda rather than secrecy). ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/4 "2019-04-13T12:40:31Z")
Thank you, **Mr. Dibble.** I am The World’s Leading Authority on the subject. (I wrote a book on the topic many years ago.) I have never before encountered a fictional word in any usage. The British have long used a computer list, as you mentioned, but it was always of obscure, real words. (Amilla, Debenture, Determinate or Diadem all pop to mind.) Since Kipion has over thirty years of use, I am a little gobsmacked by the usage. I guess I am not as smart as I thought! ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/5 "2019-04-13T14:25:07Z")
Interestingly enough, if operation code names are randomly generated then there _should_ be a (purely theoretical) chance that the word _does_ coincidentally relate to the action. Otherwise information is inadvertently revealed; for example, anyone would know that “Operation Freezer” absolutely has nothing to do with the alarming mobilization near the North Pole. The German ENIGMA cypher suffered from this flaw (a letter would never be encoded as itself) among others which indeed helped the Allies crack it like an egg. ---
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/6 "2019-04-13T15:30:37Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > The German ENIGMA cypher suffered from this flaw (a letter would never be encoded as itself) among others which indeed helped the Allies crack it like an egg. You make it sound as if cracking Enigma was easy. It was not; it was very hard. We had to invent things like this [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus\_computer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_computer) to do it. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/7 "2019-04-13T15:52:47Z")
Crack it like a walnut, then? Hazelnut? Macadamia? ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/8 "2019-04-13T17:05:25Z")
How is it pronounced? Analogous to _onion_ or _anion_? ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/9 "2019-04-14T07:12:59Z")
And in case anyone doesn’t know what a kipion is, its a sort of key-holder doohickey. I’ve got my keys on one, but never knew thats what they were called. They’re very good - no more holes in my trouser pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/10 "2019-04-14T13:32:02Z")
I do not know what a kipion is. I would appreciate a cite. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/11 "2019-04-14T14:00:05Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I do not know what a kipion is. I would appreciate a cite. I had to dig around on Google to find a cite (Operation KIPION swamps the results), but I found this, on what appears to be a Spanish shopping site: > **[Llavero Organizador Kipion | 5355](https://www.connectad.net/llaveros-y-complementos/812536-97246-kipion--llavero-organizador-5355.html#/6-color-negro)** > > Llavero Organizador Original llavero organizador con cuerpo de aluminio. Especialmente diseñado para marcaje en láser. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/12 "2019-04-15T00:16:09Z")
There’s no need to dig. You can find all kinds of hits with this search: kipion key -operation ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/13 "2019-04-15T00:52:04Z")
I am unable to find any useful hits with either Google or Fuck-Duck-Go. Can you give me a link? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/14 "2019-04-15T00:59:39Z")
Here’s the [search results](https://www.google.com/search?ei=iI-zXLjoHu2u0PEPvsa4MA&q=kipion+key+-operation&oq=kipion+key+-operation&gs_l=psy-ab.3...15545284.15553744..15554186...0.0..0.168.2443.2j19......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0j0i131j0i67j0i10j0i30j0i22i30.Esv_kDa7jUk%5B/url) I got. [first hit](https://www.loveyourlogo.directory/product/Organizer_Keyring_Kipion_605854) [second hit](http://www.jigsaw-creative.com/product/Organizer_Keyring_Kipion_605854) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/15 "2019-04-15T01:49:53Z")
Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![moes\_lotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@moes\_lotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moes_lotion)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/16 "2019-04-15T02:29:14Z")
Interesting, I have one of these key organizers in my pocket as I type, but it wasn’t called a kipion. I’m not putting forth my favourite woodworking tools store as an authoritative source, but their catalogue at least gives a bit of history - claiming that it is called a key smart, and was invented in Chicago circa 2013 with funds from a kickstarter campaign. I apologize in advance if offering a link to their catalogue is bad form, I am only affiliated with Lee Valley as a frequent customer - [Original KeySmart](http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=77186&cat=2,42194,73349,77185) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/17 "2019-04-15T06:18:24Z")
I don’t think “kipion” is the actual name of the keyring product, I think it’s just a label attached to knockoffs of that particular design in European promo-items catalogue, _a la_ Ikea product names. And given the contemporary appearance of that particular design, I’d hazard that the military operation name predates the keyring. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/18 "2019-04-15T13:39:57Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I don’t think “kipion” is the actual name of the keyring product, I think it’s just a label attached to knockoffs of that particular design in European promo-items catalogue, _a la_ Ikea product names. > > And given the contemporary appearance of that particular design, I’d hazard that the military operation name predates the keyring. I suspect this is the case. But it does rather imply there is an underlying word. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/19 "2019-04-15T14:53:57Z")
> [@Bert\_Nobbins](#): > > You make it sound as if cracking Enigma was easy. It was not; it was very hard. > > We had to invent things like this [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus\_computer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_computer) to do it. Nitpick - Colossus was used to crack the Lorenz cipher, Enigma was cracked using the Bombes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491/20 "2019-04-15T16:49:39Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I suspect this is the case. But it does rather imply there is an underlying word. If there is, it’s not Spanish or French, even though that’s where a lot of the other keyring reference sites are. “K” isn’t really part of either languages’ alphabets except for loanwords. It’s obviously not an English word. Also doesn’t register as other Germanic. Maybe Greek or Hebrew? Further afield? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-kipion/832491.md?page=2)