intercludo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɪn.tɛrˈkɫuː.doː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [in.terˈkluː.do]^[1]

Forms

interclūdō (present infinitive interclūdere, perfect active interclūsī, supine interclūsum); third conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from inter- “between” and claudō “to shut”.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨claudō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u-d- (“to shut”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of blocking a road.^[2] Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to make impassable, block, cut, as of roads, the sea or a flight in Caesar; to choke, stifle the breath or voice, as in Varro; to separate, cut off from; to cut off someone's advance or passage; to prevent a person from acting; and to hinder, obstruct, all in Cicero.^[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to block, hinder, shut off.^[6] British Medieval Latin glossaries misread it as a noun, a screen, barrier.^[7]

Timeline

• 86/82 BC – the Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of stifling.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of cutting off.^[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To block, make impassable.^[2]
2. To choke, stifle.^[2]
3. To cut off, separate.^[2]
4. To prevent, hinder.^[2]

Word family

• interclūsiō

Related words

• claudō
• inclūdō
• exclūdō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press