英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

Cantonese (n.)[Cantonese 词源字典]: 1816, from Canton, former transliteration of the name of the Chinese region now known in English as Guangzhou. The older form of the name is from the old British-run, Hong Kong-based Chinese postal system. As an adjective from 1840.[Cantonese etymology, Cantonese origin, 英语词源]
cantonment (n.): 1756, "military quarters," from French cantonnement, from cantonner "to divide into cantons" (14c.), from canton (see canton). Meaning "action of quartering troops" is from 1757.
cantor (n.): 1530s, "church song-leader," from Latin cantor "singer, poet, actor," agent noun from past participle stem of canere "to sing" (see chant (v.)). Applied in English to the Hebrew chazan from 1893.
cantrip (n.): "magical spell," 1719, a Scottish word of uncertain origin; despite much speculation it is unclear even where the word is divided, whether the second element is rope (perhaps a reference to knotted cords as magical devices) or trappa "a step" or some other thing.
Canuck (n.): 1835, perhaps a cross between Canada and Chinook, the native people in the Columbia River region. In U.S., often but not always derogatory. As an adjective from 1853.
canula: variant of cannula.
canvas (n.): "sturdy cloth made from hemp or flax," mid-14c., from Anglo-French canevaz, Old North French canevach, Old French chanevaz, literally "made of hemp, hempen," noun use of Vulgar Latin adjective *cannapaceus "made of hemp," from Latin cannabis, from Greek kannabis "hemp," a Scythian or Thracian word (see cannabis).

Latin adjectives in -aceus sometimes were made in Romanic languages into nouns of augmentative or pejorative force. Especially as a surface for oil paintings from c. 1700; hence "an oil painting" (1764).
canvas-back (n.): also canvasback, 1785 as a type of North American duck. Earlier as an adjective for a type of garment made of expensive stuff in front and cheap canvas in the back (c. 1600); from canvas (n.) + back (n.).
canvass (v.): c. 1500, from alternative spelling of canvas (n.) and probably meaning, originally, "to toss or sift in a canvas sheet," hence "to shake out, examine carefully" (1520s); "to solicit votes" (1550s). The spelling with a double -s- dates from 16c. Compare Old French canabasser "to examine carefully," literally "to sift through canvas." Related: Canvassed; canvassing. As a noun related to this, attested from c. 1600.
canyon (n.): "narrow valley between cliffs," 1834, from Mexican Spanish cañon, extended sense of Spanish cañon "a pipe, tube; deep hollow, gorge," augmentative of cano "a tube," from Latin canna "reed" (see cane (n.)). But earlier spelling callon (1560s) might suggest a source in calle "street."
canzone (n.): 1580s, from Italian canzone, from Latin cantionem (nominative cantio) "singing, song" (also source of Spanish cancion, French chanson), noun of action from past participle stem of canere "to sing" (see chant (v.)). In Italian or Provençal, a song resembling the madrigal but less strict in style.
cap (n.): late Old English cæppe "hood, head-covering, cape," from Late Latin cappa "a cape, hooded cloak" (source of Spanish capa, Old North French cape, French chape), possibly a shortened from capitulare "headdress," from Latin caput "head" (see head (n.)).

Meaning "women's head covering" is early 13c. in English; extended to men late 14c. Figurative thinking cap is from 1839 (considering cap is 1650s). Of cap-like coverings on the ends of anything (such as hub-cap) from mid-15c. Meaning "contraceptive device" is first recorded 1916. That of "cap-shaped piece of copper lined with gunpowder and used to ignite a firearm" is c. 1826; extended to paper version used in toy pistols, 1872 (cap-pistol is from 1879).

The Late Latin word apparently originally meant "a woman's head-covering," but the sense was transferred to "hood of a cloak," then to "cloak" itself, though the various senses co-existed. Old English took in two forms of the Late Latin word, one meaning "head-covering," the other "ecclesiastical dress" (see cape (n.1)). In most Romance languages, a diminutive of Late Latin cappa has become the usual word for "head-covering" (such as French chapeau).
cap (v.): c. 1400, "to put a cap on," from cap (n.). Meaning "cover as with s cap" is from c. 1600. Figurative sense of "go one better" is from 1580s. Related: Capped; capping.
cap-a-pie (adj.): 1520s, from Middle French cap-à-pie, literally "head to foot." The more usual French form is de pied en cap. The French words are from Latin caput "head" (see head (n.)) + pedem "foot" (see foot (n.)).
capability (n.): 1580s, from capable + -ity. Capabilities "undeveloped faculty or property" is attested from 1778.
capable (adj.): 1560s, from Middle French capable or directly from Late Latin capabilis "receptive; able to grasp or hold," used by theologians, from Latin capax "able to hold much, broad, wide, roomy;" also "receptive, fit for;" adjectival form of capere "to grasp, lay hold, take, catch; undertake; take in, hold; be large enough for; comprehend," from PIE *kap- "to grasp" (cognates: Sanskrit kapati "two handfuls;" Greek kaptein "to swallow, gulp down;" Lettish kampiu "seize;" Old Irish cacht "servant-girl," literally "captive;" Welsh caeth "captive, slave;" Gothic haban "have, hold;" Old English hæft "handle," habban "to have, hold," Modern English have). Related: Capably.
capacious (adj.): 1610s, "able to contain," from Latin capax (genitive capacis) "able to take in," from capere "to take" (see capable) + -ous. Meaning "able to hold much" is from 1630s. Related: Capaciously; capaciousness.
capacitance (n.): 1893, from capacity + -ance.
capacitate (v.): 1650s, from Latin capacitas (see capacity) + -ate (2). Related: Capacitation.
capacitor (n.): "device which stores electricity," 1926, from capacity with Latinate agent-noun ending.