Where does “closet” come from?
closet (Middle English) comes from Old French closet, from Old French clos, from Latin clausus, from Latin claudere, from Latin claudo, from Proto-Italic klaudō — close.
Ancestry of “closet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | closet | small enclosed area, such as a field or a paddock |
| 2 | Old French | clos | enclosed outdoor area, such as a field or a... |
| 3 | Latin | clausus | closed, inaccessible; having been closed;... |
| 4 | Latin | claudere | present active infinitive of claudō;... |
| 5 | Latin | claudo | I shut, close, lock; I imprison, confine; I... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | klaudō | close |