Etymology of words for Locks and Keys

"Klu," the Greco-Italian base, to lock (Fick), from the

Sanskrit " Klu," to move" (BENFEY and MONIER WILLIAMS) ;

" Klavi," key (Fick);

"xleìs" Greek, a key;

"kleistron" Greek, a bolt or bar;

" Claustrum," Latin, a lock, bar, or bolt;

" Claudo," Latin, to close or shut;

" Clausum," Latin, an enclosed space;

" Clausura," Latin, a castle;

" Clavis," Latin, a key;

" Clavus," Latin, a nail;

" Clef," French, a key;

" Clou," French, a nail;

"Clo," Gaelic, a nail, pin, or peg;

" Clo," Irish, a nail or pin

"Glas," Irish, a lock

"Clo," Welsh, a lock;

"Clar," Bourguignon, a key;

"Clau," French provincial, a key;

" Clav," old Spanish, a key;

" Chiave," Italian, a key;

" Chave," Portuguese, a key;

" Close," English, to shut.

From the same root " Klu," to move, comes also

" Sklu" (SKEAT), from which is derived the

Teutonic " Slut," to shut, and from thence the

Dutch " Slot," a lock, and also a castle, from

" Sluiten," to shut;

old Friesic " Slot," from " Sluta," to shut;

Low German " Slot."

Thus also the English provincial word "Slot," a bolt;

" Schloss," German, a lock, and also a castle;

" Schlussel," German, a key.

From the Latin " Sero," to put, comes

" Sera," Latin, a movable bar or bolt;

" Serrure," French, a lock;

"Serratura," Italian, a lock.

The French word " Verrou," a bolt;

Wallon "Verou" or Ferou;

Bourguignon " Varullo";

Provincial " Verroth," " Berroth," and Ferroth;"

Portuguese " Ferrolho."

The forms in " f " appear to indicate a derivation from the

Latin " ferrum," iron.

The English word " Lock " is derived from the

Teutonic base, " Luck," to lock (Fick);

"Loc," Anglo-Saxon, a lock;

" Lock," Friesic, a lock;

" Lukke," Danish, a lock;

"Loca," Icelandie, a lock or latch, or the lid of a chest;

" Lock," Swedish, a lid;

"Loke," Wallon;

" Luycke," Flemish;

"Loquet," French, a catch.

In Early English it was pronounced "loke " (SKEAT).

The English word " Latch " is probably the same as the

Danish " Laas," a lock;

" Las" Swedish, a lock;

" Lucchetto," Italian, a latch (NdT: actually, a padlock). SKEAT derives it from the

Anglo-Saxon word " loeccan," to seize ;

in Early English it was pronounced " Lacche," and he suggests the probability of its being derived from the

Latin word " Laqueus," a snare, but this is doubtful.

" Hasp," English, is derived from the

Teutonic base, " Hapsa;"

" Haepsa," Anglo-Saxon;

" Hespa," Icelandic;

" Haspe," Danish;

" Haspe," Swedish ;

" Haspe," German.

" Moraillon," the French word for " hasp," is of uncertain origin, but LITTRE?supposes it to be derived from the

provincial " Mor," a muzzle, probably the

French word " Mors," a bit;

" Morsum," Latin, a bit or a little piece;

" Morsus," Latin, a bite, as well as the

English " Muzzle " and "' Nozzle," are all derived frorn the same root.

" Clef bénarde," a key that is not piped (forée) (HAMILTON and LEGROS) or furnished with grooves, and which can be opened from both sides, is from virgin hair extensions

" Bernard," which in old French signifies a fool, hence a "clef benarde" or bénarde" is an inferior kind of key (LITTRE?.

The English word "Key " was derived from the Anglo-Saxon " Caeg " by the change of " g " into " y; "

old Friesie " Kai " and " Kei."

The English word " Bolt," which is now applied to the most primitive form of the mechanism, and probably the one from which the others took their origin, appears to have been obtained from the

Anglo-Saxon word " Bolt," a catapult.

Thus we have the Danish " Bolt," an iron pin ;

" Bout," Dutch, a bolt or pin ;

" Bolz," German, and it appears to have been adopted from its resemblance to the bolt or arrow used with the catapult.

CRABB (Technical Dictionary of Arts and Sciences) thinks it comes from the Latin " Pello," to drive, and the

Greek " Ballo," to cast, and that it has thus been applied to anything shooting, as a bolt of a door, or a bird bolt, whilst SKEAT supposes it to have been named like

" bolster " from its roundness.

The word " Padlock " is important in relation to our subject. This kind of lock is especially suitable as a fastening for baskets and saddle bags; being a hanging lock, less liable to injury from knocks than a fixed lock, it is uised in preference to this day for travelling purposes.

The word " Pad " is a provincial Norfolk word used for "Pannier" (HALLIWELL and SKEAT). It hangs about all words relating to early modes of travelling, thus we have,

" Pad," a stuffed saddle for carrying a pannier on horse- back

"Pad-nag," a road horse

"Pad," a thief on the high road

"Pad," Dutch, a path,

"Paeth," Anglo-Saxon, a path;

" Pfad," German, a path, which latter English word is also itself cognate with pad;

" Pod," a bag carried on horseback;

" Pedlar," a travelling hawker.

The word "Padlock" therefore means "Roadlock,"and it is significant in relation to the way in which padlocks of like form may bave become distributed over wide areas in early times.

The French word " Cadenas," a padlock, comes from the

Latin " Catena," a chain, and the connection is obvious ;

" Catenaccio," Italian

"Candado" and "Cadena," Spanish;

"Cadenat," French provincial;

Berry "Chadaine," a cord;

Picard " Cagne " and " Caine; " hence also the

French word " Châine," and the

English " Chain."

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