English
capitulate
Capitulate comes from Medieval Latin capitulātus, and goes back to capitulum ‘to draw up under distinct headings’.
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500capitulumas capitulō, perfect passive participle‘to draw up under distinct headings’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500capitulātus
- Englishearliest quotation 1593capitulate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500capitulumas capitulō, perfect passive participle‘to draw up under distinct headings’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500capitulātus
- Englishearliest quotation 1593capitulate
Earliest quotation: 1593, Thomas Lodge: “The lawes […] which we capitulate at sea […]…”
first attested The adjective is first attested in 1528, the verb in 1537; borrowed from Medieval Latin capitulātus perfect passive participle of Medieval Latin capitulō (“(originally; of a book, text) to draw up under distinct headings; (from the 15ᵗʰ c (as stated in the etymology)
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’
had, case, except, heavy, accept, receive, cash, behavior, achieve, heavily, catch, chase, cable, capable, capacity, recipe, reception, perception, haven, occupation, behave, capture, hawk, recipient, susceptible, deception, anticipation, chassis, anticipate, caption, conceive, captive, deceive, deceptive, capsule, conceivable, captivity, cassette, casket, deceit, 138 more
through Proto-Indo-European *káput ‘head’
through Proto-Italic *kaput ‘head’
through Latin caput ‘head’
captain, escape, chef, cabin, cape, chapel, cattle, capitalism, mischief, precipitation, cad, mischievous, chaplain, chieftain, capitalize, cabana, caddie, occipital, capo, precipitous, capillary, chabot, jefe, precipitate, capa, dishevelled, scamper, chattel, scamp, capuchin, kaput, chaperon, cabochon, caput, capitaine, 68 more
through Medieval Latin capitulum ‘to draw up under distinct headings’
Today it means
verb To surrender on stipulated terms, end all resistance, give up, go along with or comply.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Medieval Latin capitulum / capitulate