Etymology Explorer › Esperanto

Where does “ĉefi” come from?

ĉefi (Esperanto) comes from Esperanto ĉefo, from French chef, from Middle French chief, from Old French chief, from Vulgar Latin capum, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput — to seize, hold.

ĉefi (Esperanto): to be the boss of; to lead

Definitions

  1. to be the boss of; to lead

Ancestry of “ĉefi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Esperantoĉefochief; head
2Frenchchefhead; article, principal point; principal motive,...
3Middle Frenchchiefhead
4Old Frenchchiefhead; leader, chief; front
5Vulgar Latincapumhead, chief; head
6Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
7Proto-Italickaputhead
8Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
9Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →