Where does “رأس مال” come from?

رأس مال (Arabic) comes from Latin capitāle, from Latin capitālis, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

رأس مال (Arabic): capital

Definitions

  1. capital

Ancestry of “رأس مال”, step by step

رأس مال traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin capitāle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincapitālecapital crime
2Latincapitālisof the head or life
3Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
4Proto-Italickaputhead
5Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
6Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold

via Arabic مَال

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicمَالpossessions; wealth; money; property, capital,...

via Arabic رَأْسْ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicرَأْسْhead
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap-Every word from Proto-Indo-European káputEvery word from Proto-Italic kaput