clause

Where does the word "clause" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin clausa, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Clause’s story begins in Medieval Latin: clausa meant “closing.” From 'claudere', to close, the root of 'close'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as clause. The end of a sentence. It reached English by 1200s as clause. Contract 'clauses' followed. Today, clause means a group of words with a verb; a section of a document.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval clausa "closing", from 'claudere', to close, the root of 'close'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval clause "clause", the end of a sentence.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s clause "sentence; article", contract 'clauses' followed.