Where does “chef” come from?

chef (Norman) comes from Old French chef, from Vulgar Latin capus, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

chef (Norman): chief

Definitions

  1. chief

Ancestry of “chef”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old FrenchchefAlternative form of chief; head; important
2Vulgar Latincapus—
3Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
4Proto-Italickaputhead
5Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
6Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European káput →Every word from Proto-Italic kaput →