recluse

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

Recluse’s story begins in Latin: claudere meant “to close, to shut.” To close, to shut, combined with re- (back, away). Within Latin, it grew into recludere by ancient. To shut away, from re- and claudere, with irregular past participle reclusus. From there it passed into Old French as reclus by medieval. Carried into French for someone withdrawn from society. It reached English by 1200s as recluse. Settled as the English word for a person who lives in seclusion from society. Today, recluse means a person who lives alone and deliberately avoids others.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient claudere "to close, to shut", to close, to shut, combined with re- (back, away).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient recludere "to shut away", to shut away, from re- and claudere, with irregular past participle reclusus.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval reclus "someone withdrawn from society", carried into French for someone withdrawn from society.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1200s recluse "a person who lives in seclusion from society", settled as the English word for a person who lives in seclusion from society.