chef

English

/ʃɛf/

noun
Definitions
  • The presiding cook in the kitchen of a large household.
  • The head cook of a restaurant or other establishment.
  • Any cook.
  • (slang) One who manufactures illegal drugs; a cook.
  • (historical) A reliquary in the shape of a head.

Etymology

Borrowed from French chef (chief, boss, patron, leader) derived from Old French chief (head, leader) derived from Latin *capum, caput (head, etc, source) derived from Proto-Indo-European *kauput-.

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*kauput-

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms