Originally, the “cockpit” referred only to the literal pit where cockfighting took place.  Through time, “cockpit” could be used as a metaphor for any place of intense combat.  For example, in World War I, the tight operating quarters of fighter planes began being referred to as cockpits.  Since then, we usually refer to the flight deck as the cockpit, even on commercial airliners.  Yes, the word cockpit has come a far way.  I just hope it’s never used to describe a place on your body…. think armpit.