English
cattle
Cattle comes from Anglo-Norman catel ‘personal property’, from Medieval Latin capitāle, from Latin capitālis ‘of the head’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*káput‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kaput‘head’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcaput‘head’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcapitālis‘of the head’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500capitāle
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400catel‘personal property’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘property’
- Englishearliest quotation 1552cattle
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*káput‘head’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kaput‘head’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcaput‘head’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcapitālis‘of the head’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500capitāle
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400catel‘personal property’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘property’
- Englishearliest quotation 1552cattle
Earliest quotation: 1552, Parliament of England, An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer: “That then every person so offending and convict, shall…”
The story
For the sense evolution, compare pecuniary and fee. Also compare Russian поголо́вье (pogolóvʹje, “total number of livestock”) from Russian голова́ (golová, “head”).
Linked words
pairs
- cattle and chef both from Latin caput ‘head’
through Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’
had, case, except, heavy, accept, receive, behavior, cash, achieve, heavily, capacity, chase, catch, recipe, reception, capture, perception, capable, haven, occupation, cable, behave, recipient, hawk, deception, anticipation, anticipate, chassis, susceptible, caption, captive, conceive, deceive, captivity, deceptive, capsule, deceit, casket, cater, conceivable, 134 more
through Proto-Indo-European *káput ‘head’
through Proto-Italic *kaput ‘head’
capitan, capote, escapade, capitaine, 60 more
through Latin caput ‘head’
capital, captain, chapter, escape, chapel, cape, cabin, capitol, capita, precipitation, chaplain, mischief, mischievous, cad, chieftain, capillary, occipital, precipitate, precipitous, cabana, capo, caddie, capa, chabot, jefe, capuchin, capitulate, scamper, kaput, dishevelled, chaperon, scamp, cabochon, caput, 66 more
through Latin capitālis ‘of the head’
through Medieval Latin capitāle
Today it means
noun Domesticated animals of the species Bos taurus (cows, bulls, steers, oxen etc), and other hoofed mammals of the genus Bos.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / cattle