Etymology of the English word capstan
the English word
capstanderived from the Norman French word
capstanderived from the Old Provençal word
cabestanderived from the Old Provençal word
cabestrederived from the Latin word
capistrum (halter, headstall, harness)
derived from the Late Latin word
capere (to take; take hold, seize; grasp)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*kap-Date
The earliest known usage of capstan in English dates from the 14th century.
Usage
Word found in Modern English
