Where does “chap” come from?
Chapman comes from Middle English chepman, from Old English ċēapmann, from Proto-Germanic kaupamann-, derived from Proto-Germanic kaupōną and Latin caupo, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kaup-.
chap (English): A man, a fellow; A customer, a buyer; A child
Definitions
- A man, a fellow; A customer, a buyer; A child
Ancestry of “chap”, step by step
chap traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Chapman
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Chapman | for a merchant |
| 2 | Middle English | chapman | A merchant; a seller of goods |
| 3 | Old English | cēapmann | dealer |
| 4 | Old English | cēap | cattle, purchase, sale, traffic, business,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kaupōną | to buy; trade |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | kaupô | innkeeper; merchant |
| 7 | Latin | caupo | Tradesman; Innkeeper, shopkeeper |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kaup- | — |
via Middle English chappen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | chappen | to split open, burst, chap; to chop |
via Khmer ឆាប
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khmer | ឆាប | cymbals |