English
klendusity
Klendusity comes from Ancient Greek κλειδόω ‘I lock up’, from κλείς ‘a catch or hook passed through the door from…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- ‘nail’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kleh₂u-‘nail’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*klāwī́dsreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκλείς‘a catch or hook passed through the door from the outside to catch the strap attached to…’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκλειδόωkleidóō‘I lock up’
- Englishtodayklendusity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kleh₂u-‘nail’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*klāwī́dsreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκλείς‘a catch or hook passed through the door from the outside to catch the strap attached to…’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEκλειδόωkleidóō‘I lock up’
- Englishtodayklendusity
The story
From Ancient Greek κλειδόω (kleidóō, “I lock up”) (see κλείς) + ἔνδυσις (éndusis, “entry”) (see ἐνδύω) + -ity, because the route of entry for pathogens is supposed to be locked up. The word is a clumsy coinage; a more systematic approach would have involved cleido-.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- ‘nail’
conclusion, enclosure, enclave, clavicle, clef, clave, 8 more
Today it means
noun Resistance to infection.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- / klendusity