Where does “chieftess” come from?
chieftess (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.
chieftess (English): A female chief or chieftain; the female leader of...
Definitions
- A female chief or chieftain; the female leader of...
Ancestry of “chieftess”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | chief | A leader or head of a group of people,... |
| 2 | Middle English | chef | A leader, boss, or director; a chief official;... |
| 3 | Old French | chief | head; leader, chief; front |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | capum | head, chief; head |
| 5 | Latin | caput | head; headlike protuberance on an organ or body... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kaput | head |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | káput | head |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |