Where does “kerchief” come from?
kerchief (English) comes from Middle English keverchef, from Old French couvrechief, 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.
kerchief (English): A piece of cloth used to cover the head; a...
Definitions
- A piece of cloth used to cover the head; a...
Ancestry of “kerchief”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | keverchef | A headcloth or kerchief; a cover for the head usually of a woman |
| 2 | Old French | couvrechief | — |
| 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 |