Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Cap” come from?

Cap (English) comes from English Capricorn, from French Capricorne, from Latin Capricornus, from Latin caper, from Proto-Italic *kapros, from Proto-Indo-European kápros — he-goat, billy goat.

Ancestry of “Cap”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishCapricornSomeone with a Capricorn star sign
2FrenchCapricorneCapricorn
3LatinCapricornus—
4Latincapera male goat, billy goat; vocative singular of...
5Proto-Italic*kapros—
6Proto-Indo-Europeankáproshe-goat, billy goat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kápros →