Etymology Explorer › Portuguese

Where does “Chefe” come from?

Chefe (Portuguese) 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 “Chefe”, 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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap- →