Where does “chef” come from?
chef (Dutch) comes from French chef, from Middle French chief, from Old French chief, from Vulgar Latin capum, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.
chef (Dutch): A boss, chief, head, leader; A culinary chef, a...
Definitions
- A boss, chief, head, leader; A culinary chef, a...
Ancestry of “chef”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | chef | head; article, principal point; principal motive,... |
| 2 | Middle French | chief | head |
| 3 | Old French | chief | head; leader, chief; front |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | capum | head, chief; head |
| 5 | Latin | caput | head; headlike protuberance on an organ or body... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kaput | head |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | káput | head |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |