Where does “kapitein” come from?
kapitein (Middle Low German) comes from Medieval Latin capitaneus, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.
Ancestry of “kapitein”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | capitaneus | large, chief in size; capital; captain, commander |
| 2 | Latin | caput | head; headlike protuberance on an organ or body... |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | kaput | head |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | káput | head |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |