Wordwyrt

captain

/ˈkæptən/KAP-tuhn
/ˈkæptən/KAP-tuhn

Meaningthe head one

Common meaning: the leader of a ship, team or unit

Journey through time

  1. Latincaput, capitis‘the head’
  2. Old Frenchcapitainsource
  3. Middle Englishcapitainsource
  4. Englishcaptain‘the leader of a ship, team or unit’ · today

capt also in: capitalchapter

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin caput ‘the head’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry caput, p. 289 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

capitalchapter

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