aquiclude
|a-qui-clude|
/ˈæk.wɪ.kluːd/
blocks or shuts out water
Etymology
'aquiclude' originates from modern scientific coinage using Latin roots, specifically from Latin 'aqua' and Latin 'claudere', where 'aqua' meant 'water' and 'claudere' meant 'to shut/close'.
'aquiclude' was coined in English in the early 20th century as a technical hydrogeological term formed by combining the Latin elements 'aqua-' + '-clude'; it is a deliberate formation rather than a descendant of an older English word.
Initially it literally expressed 'something that shuts out water' and has retained that specialized hydrogeological meaning of an impermeable layer.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a geological formation or layer that is essentially impermeable to water and therefore prevents the passage or flow of groundwater.
The shale acted as an aquiclude, keeping the aquifer below from being recharged by surface water.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/30 02:51