mid 16th cent.: from French, obsolete variant of caporal, from Italian caporale, probably based on Latin corpus, corpor- 'body (of troops'), with a change of spelling in Italian due to association with capo 'head'late Middle English: via Old French from Latin corporalis, from corpus, corpor- 'body'Middle English: from medieval Latin corporale (pallium) 'body (cloth'), from Latin corpus, corpor- 'body'
