Where does “capitaine” come from?
capitaine (Old French) comes from Latin capitāneus, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.
capitaine (Old French): leader
Definitions
- leader
Ancestry of “capitaine”, step by step
capitaine traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin capitāneus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | capitāneus | large, chief in size |
| 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 |
via Late Latin capitaneus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | capitaneus | captain |
via Medieval Latin capitaneus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | capitaneus | large, chief in size; capital; captain, commander |