occlude

Where does the word "occlude" come from? It comes from Latin claudere, passing through Latin before entering English (1600s).

Occlude’s story begins in Latin: claudere meant “to close, to shut.” To close, to shut, combined with ob- (against). Within Latin, it grew into occludere by ancient. To shut up, to close off, from ob- and claudere. It reached English by 1600s as occlude. Settled as the English word for blocking or closing off a passage. Today, occlude means to block or close off a passage, opening, or view.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient claudere "to close, to shut", to close, to shut, combined with ob- (against).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient occludere "to shut up, to close off", to shut up, to close off, from ob- and claudere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s occlude "to block or close off a passage", settled as the English word for blocking or closing off a passage.