It is supposed to be an Okinawan martial art; however, in America, it's become synonymous with literally any martial art (much to the dismay of everyone else)
Guy 1: Yo, those are some cool Karate skills!
Guy 2: It's actually Muay Thai
Guy 1: I know, that's Karate, right?
Guy 2: -_-
Okinawan Unarmed Combat, that has been treated like shit by any one of its practictioners, not to mention the most recent ones as of the late 1980's by many a snotty nosed kid and young adult alike.
Karate, or any unarmed form, should be treated like a gun and pile of bullets:
WITH UTMOST RESPECT, AND DILIGENCE!!!!
That oneraccoon that lives in your yard that you can't get rid of because it knows karate. The only way to defeat it is by hiring Jack-Jack from The Incredibles or Kung fu panda to fight it.
I don't go into my yard anymore because a karateraccoon lives there.