Where does “ĉef-” come from?

ĉef- (Esperanto) 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.

ĉef- (Esperanto): main, head, chief

Definitions

  1. main, head, chief

Ancestry of “ĉef-”, step by step

ĉef- traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English chief

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishchiefA leader or head of a group of people,...
2Middle EnglishchefA leader, boss, or director; a chief official;...
3Old Frenchchiefhead; leader, chief; front
4Vulgar Latincapumhead, chief; head
5Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
6Proto-Italickaputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
8Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold

via French chef

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchefhead; article, principal point; principal motive,...
2Middle Frenchchiefhead

Words derived from “ĉef-

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap-Every word from Proto-Indo-European káputEvery word from Proto-Italic kaput