caput

The head.

Noun

  1. The head.
  2. A knob-like protuberance or capitulum.
  3. The top or superior part of a thing.
  4. The council or ruling body of the University of Cambridge prior to the constitution of 1856.
    • D. has been engaged, he tells me, through a course of laborious years, in an investigation into all curious matter connected with the two Universities; and has lately lit upon a MS. collection of charters, relative to...
  5. Ellipsis of caput succedaneum.

Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin caput (“the head”). Doublet of cape, capo, chef, and chief, and distantly of head and Howth.

Forms

caputs capita

Related

capite caput mortuum capote