"chest" in seven languages
Meaningchest
Spanish
pecho
/ˈpetʃo/
masc.inherited
French
poitrine
/pwatʁin/
fem.inherited
From a derived *PECTORĪNA; pis, from PECTUS itself, now means 'udder'.
Italian
petto
/ˈpɛtto/
masc.inherited
Portuguese
peito
/ˈpejtu/
masc.inherited
Portuguese turned -CT- into -it-: PECTUS → peito.
Romanian
piept
/pjept/
neut.inherited
plural: piepturi
Romanian turned -CT- into -pt-: PECTUS → piept.
Catalan
pit
/pit/
masc.inherited
English
chest
/tʃɛst/
other source · Old English cest (Latin CISTAM 'box')
English → ItalianchestpettoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: pectoral.What English and Italian share
The Latin ancestor
PECTUS (neuter)‘chest, breast’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
PECTUS shows the CT law: Spanish ch (pecho), Italian tt (petto). French built its chest on a derived adjective, *PECTORĪNA.
English relatives: pectoral
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esLe duele el pecho.
- frIl a mal à la poitrine.
- itHa un dolore al petto.
- ptEle está com dor no peito.
- roÎl doare în piept.
- caLi fa mal el pit.
- enHe has a pain in his chest.