Where does “capital gain” come from?

capital gain (English) comes from English gain, from Middle French gain, from Old French gaaing, from Old French gaaignier, from Vulgar Latin *wadaniāre, from English unspecified, from English Un-, from Middle English un- — not.

capital gain (English): An increase in the value of a capital asset; An...

Definitions

  1. An increase in the value of a capital asset; An...

Ancestry of “capital gain”, step by step

capital gain traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English gain

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgainTo acquire possession of; To have or receive...
2Middle Frenchgainincome
3Old Frenchgaainggain
4Old FrenchgaaignierAlternative form of gaigner; to earn, gain,...
5Vulgar Latin*wadaniāre
6EnglishunspecifiedNot specified; not thoroughly explained or...
7EnglishUn-not
8Middle Englishun-
9Old Englishun-negation or absence of: un-, non-; bad; forms...
10Proto-West Germanicun-not, un-
11Proto-Germanicun-not, un-
12Proto-Indo-Europeann̥-not, un-
13Proto-Indo-Europeannenot

via English capital

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcapitalAlready-produced durable goods available for use...
2Frenchcapitalcapital money and wealth
3Latincapitālisof the head or life
4Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
5Proto-Italickaputhead
6Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neEvery word from English Un-Every word from Proto-Indo-European n̥-