Word of the day: Occlude

Occlude

[ə-KLOOD]

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, late 16th century

1.Stop, close up, or obstruct (an opening, orifice, or passage); shut (something in); cover (an eye) to prevent its use.

2.(Of a solid) Absorb and retain (a gas or impurity).

Examples of occlude in a sentence

"Platinum is a metal that can occlude hydrogen."

"An optometrist will occlude one eye to accurately measure the other’s prescription."

About Occlude

This word comes from the Latin “occludere,” meaning “to shut up.”

Did you Know?

An additional usage of "occlude" is in dentistry: It's the manner in which a tooth touches another tooth in the opposite jaw. For example: “Her upper cuspid tooth occludes with her lower canine.”