Where does “capitalize” come from?
Capitalize derives from English capital, from Latin capitalis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kauput- meaning head, with the suffix -alis forming adjectives of relation.
capitalize (English): In writing or editing, to write in capital...
Definitions
- In writing or editing, to write in capital...
Ancestry of “capitalize”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | capital | Already-produced durable goods available for use... |
| 2 | French | capital | capital money and wealth |
| 3 | Latin | capitālis | of the head or life |
| 4 | Latin | caput | head; headlike protuberance on an organ or body... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | kaput | head |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | káput | head |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |