Where does “cif” come from?

cif (Volapük) comes from English chief, from Middle English chef, 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.

cif (Volapük): leader

Definitions

  1. leader

Ancestry of “cif”, step by step

cif traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English chief

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishchiefA leader or head of a group of people,...
2Middle EnglishchefA leader, boss, or director; a chief official;...
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

via French chef

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchefhead; article, principal point; principal motive,...
2Middle Frenchchiefhead

Words derived from “cif

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kap-