Where does “chiefery” come from?

chiefery (English) comes from English chief, from Middle English chef, from Old French chief, from Vulgar Latin capum, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

chiefery (English): The status or role of a chief; chieftainship; The...

Definitions

  1. The status or role of a chief; chieftainship; The...

Ancestry of “chiefery”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishchiefA leader or head of a group of people,...
2Middle EnglishchefA leader, boss, or director; a chief official;...
3Old Frenchchiefhead; leader, chief; front
4Vulgar Latincapumhead, chief; head
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-Every word from Proto-Indo-European káputEvery word from Proto-Italic kaput