"cape (headland)" in seven languages
Meaningcape (headland)
Spanish
cabo
/ˈkabo/
masc.inherited
Also 'end' (al cabo) and 'corporal'.
French
cap
/kap/
masc.borrowed · Occitan cap
Italian
capo
/ˈkapo/
masc.inherited
Everyday capo is 'boss, head'; also promontorio.
Portuguese
cabo
/ˈkabu/
masc.inherited
Romanian
cap
/kap/
neut.inherited
plural: capuri
As 'head' the plural is capete; as 'headland', capuri.
Catalan
cap
/kap/
masc.inherited
English
cape
/keɪp/
from Latin/French · Old French cap, from Occitan
English → Italiancape (headland)capoCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
CAPUT (neuter)‘head’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
A cape is the land's 'head'. Spanish voiced the p (cabo); French borrowed cap from Occitan sailors, since its own descendant of CAPUT had become chef.
English relatives: capital, chief, captain
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEl barco dobló el cabo.
- frLe navire a doublé le cap.
- itLa nave ha doppiato il capo.
- ptO navio contornou o cabo.
- roNava a ocolit capul.
- caEl vaixell va doblar el cap.
- enThe ship sailed around the cape.