Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “capitāle” come from?

capitāle (Latin) comes from Latin capitālis, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

Ancestry of “capitāle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincapitālis—
2Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
3Proto-Italickaputhead
4Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
5Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →