Where does “kapo” come from?

kapo (Indonesian) comes from English capo, from English capotasto, from Italian capotasto, from Italian tasto, from Italian tastare, from Vulgar Latin tastare, from Latin taxāre, from Latin Taxus — I look at, examine; I examine, consider, think.

kapo (Indonesian): kapo, prisoner functionary (a prisoner who was given privileges in return for supervising other prisoners)

Definitions

  1. kapo, prisoner functionary (a prisoner who was given privileges in return for supervising other prisoners)

Ancestry of “kapo”, step by step

kapo traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English capo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcapoA movable bar placed across the fingerboard of a...
2EnglishcapotastoA device, placed across the strings of a fretted...
3Italiancapotastocapotasto
4Italiantastokey, button; touch, feel; fret, fingerboard
5Italiantastareto feel, grope, cop a feel; to probe
6Vulgar Latintastareto touch, feel; present active infinitive of...
7Latintaxāre
8LatinTaxusyew
9Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
10Spanish-scopio-scope
11Latin-scopium
12Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
13Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
14Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think

via German Kapo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKapokapo; capo; foreman
Every word from Ancient Greek σκέπτομαιEvery word from Ancient Greek σκοπόςEvery word from Spanish -scopio