Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “caporal” come from?

caporal (English) comes from French caporal, from Italian caporale, from Italian capo, from Vulgar Latin capus, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

caporal (English): A type of shag tobacco; A foreman or overseer

Definitions

  1. A type of shag tobacco; A foreman or overseer

Ancestry of “caporal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcaporalcorporal; caporal
2Italiancaporalecorporal, lance corporal; bossy person; illegal...
3Italiancapohead; boss, chief, leader, master; end
4Vulgar Latincapus—
5Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
6Proto-Italickaputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
8Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →