Where does “claustrophobia” come from?
Claustrophobia comes from Latin claustrum, meaning enclosed space, derived from the verb claudere meaning to close, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kel- meaning to conceal.
claustrophobia (English): The fear of closed, tight places
Definitions
- The fear of closed, tight places
Ancestry of “claustrophobia”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | claustrum | a bar, band, bolt; gate, door, bulwark; enclosure |
| 2 | Latin | claudere | present active infinitive of claudō;... |
| 3 | Latin | claudo | I shut, close, lock; I imprison, confine; I... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | klaudō | close |
Words derived from “claustrophobia”