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"hair (on the head)" in seven languages

Meaninghair (on the head)

Spanish

cabello

/kaˈbeʝo/

masc.inherited

Everyday Spanish often says pelo (PILUM).

French

cheveu

/ʃəvø/

masc.inherited

plural: cheveux

Usually plural: les cheveux.

Italian

capello

/kaˈpello/

masc.inherited

Usually plural: i capelli. Don't confuse cappello 'hat'.

Portuguese

cabelo

/kaˈbelu/

masc.inherited

Romanian

păr

/pər/

masc.other source · Latin PILUM 'a hair'

Used as a mass noun: părul.

Catalan

cabell

/kəˈbeʎ/

masc.inherited

Usually plural: els cabells.

English

hair

/hɛɹ/

native English · Old English hǣr

English → Italianhair (on the head)capelloNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: capillary.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CAPILLUM‘hair of the head’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

CAPILLUM shows three laws at once: Spanish voiced p to b (cabello), French turned ca into che and p into v (cheveu), Italian kept both (capello). Body hair is pelo / poil / pelo, from PILUM.

English relatives: capillary

Sound laws at work

French CA becomes chaVoiceless stops between vowels soften

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esTiene el cabello largo.
  • frElle a les cheveux longs.
  • itHa i capelli lunghi.
  • ptEla tem o cabelo comprido.
  • roAre părul lung.
  • caTé els cabells llargs.
  • enShe has long hair.

More in The body

All The body words