Etymograph

English

chevin

Chevin comes from Old French chevesne ‘chub’, from chief ‘head’, and perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-1‘head’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*káput2‘head’uncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kaput2‘head’uncertain
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcaput3‘the head’uncertain
  5. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEcapus3uncertain
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400chief4as chef‘head’uncertain
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400chevesne4‘chub’
  8. Englishtodaychevin4

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Proto-Indo-European *káput
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin caput
  3. 3 Wiktionary, Old French chief
  4. 4 Wiktionary, English chevin

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-Wiktionary, Proto-Indo-European *káput‘head’uncertain
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*káputWiktionary, Latin caput‘head’uncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kaputWiktionary, Latin caput‘head’uncertain
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcaputWiktionary, Old French chief‘the head’uncertain
  5. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEcapusWiktionary, Old French chiefuncertain
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400chiefWiktionary, English chevinas chef‘head’uncertain
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400chevesneWiktionary, English chevin‘chub’
  8. EnglishtodaychevinWiktionary, English chevin

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’

had, case, except, cash, accept, receive, capacity, heavy, capable, catch, cable, behavior, capture, recipe, reception, occupation, perception, chase, achieve, haven, heavily, behave, recipient, hawk, anticipation, anticipate, caption, captive, capsule, susceptible, deception, cater, cassette, conceive, deceive, captivity, deceptive, chassis, casket, deceit, 132 more

through Proto-Indo-European *káput ‘head’

head, 58 more

through Proto-Italic *kaput ‘head’

capitalism, capitalize, capitan, escapade, capitaine, 59 more

through Latin caput ‘the head’

capital, captain, escape, chapter, cape, cattle, capitol, cabin, capita, chapel, precipitation, cad, mischief, chaplain, capillary, precipitate, cabana, occipital, capa, caddie, capote, precipitous, chieftain, capitulate, scamper, scamp, chattel, kaput, caput, chabot, capuchin, dishevelled, chaperon, cabochon, 66 more

through Vulgar Latin capus

capo, 4 more

through Old French chief ‘head’

chef, mischievous, jefe, 3 more

Today it means

noun A chub (fish).

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “chevin”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Proto-Indo-European *káput, Latin caput, Old French chief. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / chevin

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