Etymology Explorer › Old Spanish

Where does “xefe” come from?

xefe (Old Spanish) comes from French chef, from Middle French chief, from Old French chief, from Vulgar Latin capum, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.

Ancestry of “xefe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchefhead; article, principal point; principal motive,...
2Middle Frenchchiefhead
3Old Frenchchiefhead; leader, chief; front
4Vulgar Latincapumhead, chief; head
5Latincaputhead; headlike protuberance on an organ or body...
6Proto-Italickaputhead
7Proto-Indo-Europeankáputhead
8Proto-Indo-Europeankap-to seize, hold

Words derived from “xefe”

  • jefe
  • jefe político
  • vicejefe
  • jefe político
  • jefe
  • hepe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →