Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “quadricep” come from?

quadricep (English) comes from English quadriceps, from Latin quadriceps, from Latin -ceps, from Old Latin -cipes, from Proto-Italic -kaputis, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

quadricep (English): quadriceps

Definitions

  1. quadriceps

Ancestry of “quadricep”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishquadricepsA muscle having four heads, especially the large...
2Latinquadriceps—
3Latin-ceps-headed; -fold; -catcher
4Old Latin-cipes"third declension"; Alternative form of -ceps;...
5Proto-Italic-kaputis-headed
6Proto-Italickaputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
8Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →