Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “decapitalize” come from?

decapitalize (English) comes from English capitalize, from English capital, from French capital, from Latin capitālis, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

decapitalize (English): To uncapitalize; To remove status as a capital...

Definitions

  1. To uncapitalize; To remove status as a capital...

Ancestry of “decapitalize”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcapitalizeIn writing or editing, to write in capital...
2EnglishcapitalAlready-produced durable goods available for use...
3Frenchcapitalcapital
4Latincapitālis—
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- →