corporal

Where does the word "corporal" come from? It comes from Latin corpus, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Corporal’s story begins in Latin: corpus meant “body.” The root of 'corpse', 'corporation' and 'corps'. Within Latin, it grew into corporalis by ancient. Of the body, from corpus. It reached English by 1400s as corporal. Settled as the English word for something relating to the physical body, and separately a military rank. Today, corporal means relating to the physical body, or a military rank above private.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient corpus "body", the root of 'corpse', 'corporation' and 'corps'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient corporalis "of the body", of the body, from corpus.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s corporal "relating to the physical body, or a military rank", settled as the English word for something relating to the physical body, and separately a military rank.