Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “vice-captain” come from?

vice-captain (English) comes from English Captain, from Middle English capitain, from Old French capitaine, from Latin capitāneus, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

vice-captain (English): A player who takes on the responsibilities of...

Definitions

  1. A player who takes on the responsibilities of...

Ancestry of “vice-captain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishCaptainAn army officer title in most countries; The...
2Middle EnglishcapitainThe head of a military grouping or force; a...
3Old Frenchcapitaineleader
4Latincapitāneus—
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- →