Where does “chieftain” come from?
chieftain (Scots) comes from Middle Scots chefftane, from Middle English cheftayne, from Old French chevetaine, from Latin capitāneus, from Latin caput, from Proto-Italic kaput, from Proto-Indo-European káput, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.
chieftain (Scots): chieftain; schore; leader of a Highlands clan
Definitions
- chieftain; schore; leader of a Highlands clan
Ancestry of “chieftain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Scots | chefftane | — |
| 2 | Middle English | cheftayne | Alternative form of cheveteyn |
| 3 | Old French | chevetaine | chief; captain; leader |
| 4 | Latin | capitāneus | large, chief in size |
| 5 | Latin | caput | head; headlike protuberance on an organ or body... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kaput | head |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | káput | head |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |