English
escape
Escape comes from Middle English escapen, from Old Northern French escaper, from Vulgar Latin *excappāre ‘to get out of one's clothing’, from ex- + cappa ‘cape’.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcappa‘cape, cloak’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*excappāre‘to escape a garment’literally ‘to free oneself from one's cape’reconstructed
- Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400escaper
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500escapen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598escape
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcappa‘cape, cloak’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*excappāre‘to escape a garment’literally ‘to free oneself from one's cape’reconstructed
- Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400escaper
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500escapen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598escape
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice: “sailors that escaped the wreck”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’
had, case, except, heavy, accept, receive, behavior, cash, catch, achieve, heavily, chase, capacity, cable, reception, occupation, capable, haven, perception, behave, recipe, capture, recipient, hawk, anticipation, anticipate, deception, chassis, susceptible, conceive, deceive, deceptive, caption, cater, captive, capsule, deceit, cassette, captivity, conceivable, 136 more
through Proto-Indo-European *káput ‘head’
through Proto-Italic *kaput ‘head’
capitalism, capitalize, capitan, capote, capitaine, 62 more
through Latin caput ‘head’
capital, captain, chapter, chef, cattle, precipitation, capitol, capita, mischief, cad, mischievous, chieftain, precipitate, occipital, precipitous, capillary, chattel, caddie, chabot, jefe, dishevelled, capitulate, capo, cabochon, caput, 69 more
through Late Latin cappa ‘cape, cloak’
cabin, cope, chapel, chaplain, cabana, capa, capuchin, kaput, scamper, chaperon, 20 more
through Vulgar Latin *excappāre ‘to escape a garment, get out of one's clothing’
Today it means
verb To get free; to free oneself.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin cappa / escape