Where does “Capuchin” come from?
Capuchin comes from Middle French capuchin, from Italian cappuccino, diminutive of cappuccio meaning hood, ultimately from Proto-Semitic kapp- meaning palm or hollow of the hand.
Capuchin (English): A member of an order of Roman Catholic friars
Definitions
- A member of an order of Roman Catholic friars
Ancestry of “Capuchin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | capuchin | Capuchin friar |
| 2 | Italian | cappuccino | Capuchin; cappuccino; French letter, rubber... |
| 3 | Italian | cappuccio | hood; cowl; top |
| 4 | Latin | capitium | covering for the head; opening in a tunic for the... |
| 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 |