Where does “chief” come from?
Chief comes from Middle English chef, from Old French chief meaning "head," from Latin caput meaning "head," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kauput- or kapōlo.
chief (English): A leader or head of a group of people,...
Definitions
- A leader or head of a group of people,...
Ancestry of “chief”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | chef | A leader, boss, or director; a chief official;... |
| 2 | Old French | chief | head; leader, chief; front |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | capum | head, chief; head |
| 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 |