Where does “capstan” come from?

Capstan comes from Old French cabestan, from Old Occitan cabestan, ultimately from Old Occitan cabestre.

capstan (English): A vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a...

Definitions

  1. A vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a...

Ancestry of “capstan”, step by step

capstan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old French cabestan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchcabestan—
2Old Occitancabestan—
3Old Occitancabestrepulley rope; pulley cord
4Latincapistrumhalter, headstall, harness
5Latincapiōto take, to capture, to catch, to seize, to take captive, to storm
6Proto-Italickapiōtake
7Proto-Italickapjōtake, seize
8Proto-Indo-Europeankh₂pyéti—
9Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂p-to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...

via Spanish cabestran

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishcabestran

Words derived from “capstan”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kh₂pyéti →Every word from Proto-Italic kapjō →