elude

Where does the word "elude" come from? It comes from Latin eludere, and was adopted directly into English (1530s).

Elude’s story begins in Latin: eludere meant “to escape by trick.” To escape by trick, to play out, from ex- (out) and ludere (to play). It reached English by 1530s as elude. Settled as the English word for escaping or avoiding something skillfully. Today, elude means to skillfully escape, avoid, or evade something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient eludere "to escape by trick", to escape by trick, to play out, from ex- (out) and ludere (to play).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1530s elude "to escape or avoid something skillfully", settled as the English word for escaping or avoiding something skillfully.