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Stage 1 of 4
abscondere
Latin · ancient
"to hide, conceal"
ab- 'away' plus condere 'to put, store' - to hide away
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Stage 2 of 4
sconsa
Medieval Latin · medieval
"a hidden or shielded lantern"
a feminine past participle naming a shielded light source
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Stage 3 of 4
esconse
Old French · medieval
"a lantern with a screen; a hiding place"
kept the sense of a screened lantern
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Stage 4 of 4
sconce
English · 1400s
"a wall-mounted candle bracket"
narrowed from a handheld screened lantern to a wall-mounted candle bracket
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