Where does “cabbage” come from?

Cabbage comes from Middle English caboche, from Anglo-Norman caboche, from Old French caboce, derived from Old French boce meaning "head," from Frankish bottja, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰewd- meaning "to swell."

cabbage (English): An edible plant having a head of green leaves;...

Definitions

  1. An edible plant having a head of green leaves;...

Ancestry of “cabbage”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcabochecabbage; A kind of fish
2Anglo-Normancabochehead; Alternative form of caboce
3Old Frenchcabocehead
4Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
5Proto-Italickaputhead
6Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold

Words derived from “cabbage”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European káput →Every word from Proto-Italic kaput →
cabbage — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer