English
chef
Chef comes from French chef ‘head’ (as in chef de cuisine), from Old French chief ‘head, leader’, from Latin caput ‘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‘the head’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEcapus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chief‘head, leader’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘head’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchef‘head’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1845same form
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‘the head’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEcapus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chief‘head, leader’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘head’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchef‘head’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1845same form
Earliest quotation: a. 1845, R. H. Barham, Blasphemer's Warning in Ingoldsby Legends (1847): “The Chef's peace of mind was restor'd, And in…”
The story
Unadapted borrowing from French chef (from the positions of chef d'office and chef de cuisine), from Old French chief (‘head, leader’) (English chief), from Vulgar Latin capus (‘head’) (from which also captain, chieftain), from Latin caput (‘head’) (possibly related to English cap (‘head covering’)).
Linked words
pairs
- chef and cattle both from Latin caput ‘head’
through Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’
had, case, except, cash, accept, receive, capacity, behavior, heavy, capable, cable, catch, capture, achieve, heavily, recipe, reception, occupation, perception, haven, chase, behave, recipient, hawk, anticipation, anticipate, caption, captive, capsule, susceptible, deception, captivity, cater, cassette, conceive, deceive, deceptive, chassis, casket, deceit, 134 more
through Proto-Indo-European *káput ‘head’
through Proto-Italic *kaput ‘head’
capitalism, capitalize, capitan, escapade, capitaine, 60 more
through Latin caput ‘the head’
capital, captain, escape, chapter, cape, cabin, capitol, capita, chapel, precipitation, cad, chaplain, capillary, mischief, precipitate, cabana, occipital, capa, caddie, capote, precipitous, capitulate, chieftain, scamper, scamp, chattel, capuchin, kaput, caput, dishevelled, chabot, chaperon, cabochon, 67 more
through Vulgar Latin capus
through Old French chief ‘head, leader’
Today it means
noun The presiding cook in the kitchen of a large household.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / chef