Where does “chef” come from?

chef (French) comes from Middle French chief, 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.

chef (French): head; article, principal point; principal motive,...

Definitions

  1. head; article, principal point; principal motive,...

Ancestry of “chef”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchchiefhead
2Old Frenchchiefhead; leader, chief; front
3Vulgar Latincapumhead, chief; head
4Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
5Proto-Italickaputhead
6Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold

Words derived from “chef”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →
chef — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer