what is a kippah

A kippah, also known as a yarmulke, skullcap, or koppel, is a brimless cap, usually made of cloth, traditionally worn by Jewish males to fulfill the customary requirement that the head be covered. In non-Orthodox communities, some women also wear kippot, and people have different customs about when to wear a kippah—when eating, praying, studying Jewish texts, or entering a sacred space such as a synagogue or cemetery. The Reform movement has historically been opposed to wearing kippot, but wearing a kippah during Torah study and/or prayer has become common and accepted among Reform men and women. There is no halakhic requirement to cover one’s head, but it is considered a sign of reverence for God. The term kippah (Hebrew: כיפה) literally means "dome" as the kippah is worn on the head like a dome. The term yarmulke (Yiddish: יאַרמלקע) might be derived from the Polish jarmułka or the Ukrainian yarmulka and perhaps ultimately from the Medieval Latin almutia ("cowl" or "hood"). It may also be of Turkic origin (akin to yağmurluk, meaning "rainwear").