English
exclusive
Exclusive comes from Latin exclūsīvus, from exclūdō ‘to shut out’, from claudō ‘to close’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w- ‘key, hook’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kleh₂w-‘key, hook’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*klaudō‘to close’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEclaudōas claudere‘to close’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexclūdō‘to shut out’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexclūsus‘shut out’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexclūsīvus
- Englishearliest quotation 1873exclusive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kleh₂w-‘key, hook’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*klaudō‘to close’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEclaudōas claudere‘to close’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexclūdō‘to shut out’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexclūsus‘shut out’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexclūsīvus
- Englishearliest quotation 1873exclusive
Earliest quotation: 1873, The Slang Dictionary: “The exclusives at the English Universities apply the term…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂w- ‘key, hook, nail’
include, cataract, conclave, subclavian, 29 more
through Proto-Italic *klaudō ‘to close’
closet, disclose, enclose, inclusiveness, 27 more
through Latin claudō ‘to close, shut’
close, closure, conclusion, clause, conclude, inclusion, inclusive, preclude, cloister, sluice, recluse, claustrophobia, cloture, occlusion, 32 more
Today it means
adj Excluding items or members that do not meet certain conditions.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w- / exclusive