closet

closet
closet (n.) late 14c., from O.Fr. closet "small enclosure, private room," dim. of clos, from L. clausum "closed space," from neut. pp. of claudere "to shut" (see CLOSE (Cf. close) (v.)). In Matt. vi:6 used to render L. cubiculum "bedchamber, bedroom," Gk. tamieion "chamber, inner chamber, secret room;" thus originally in English "a private room for study or prayer;" modern sense of "small side-room for storage" is first recorded 1610s. The adjective is from 1680s, "private, secluded;" meaning "secret, unknown" recorded from 1952, first of alcoholism, but by 1970s used principally of homosexuality; the phrase come out of the closet "admit something openly" first recorded 1963, and lent new meanings to the word OUT (Cf. out).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Closet — Clos et, n. [OF. closet little inclosure, dim. of clos. See {Close} an inclosure.] 1. A small room or apartment for retirement; a room for privacy. [1913 Webster] A chair lumbered closet, just twelve feet by nine. Goldsmith. [1913 Webster] When… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • closet — [kläz′it] n. [OFr, small enclosure, dim. of clos: see CLOSE1] 1. a small room or cupboard for clothes, household supplies, linens, etc. 2. a small, private room for reading, meditation, etc. 3. a monarch s private chamber as for prayer or… …   English World dictionary

  • Closet — Clos et, v. t. [imp. & p. p.{Closeted} p. pr. & vb. n. {Closeting}.] 1. To shut up in, or as in, a closet; to conceal. [R.] [1913 Webster] Bedlam s closeted and handcuffed charge. Cowper. [1913 Webster] 2. To make into a closet for a secret… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • closet — ► NOUN 1) chiefly N. Amer. a tall cupboard or wardrobe. 2) a small room. 3) archaic a toilet. 4) (the closet) (especially with reference to homosexuality) a state of secrecy or concealment. 5) (before another noun ) secret; covert: a closet… …   English terms dictionary

  • clóset — Voz tomada del inglés americano closet (‘armario’), que se usa en la mayor parte de América con el sentido de ‘armario construido en el hueco de una pared’. Es anglicismo asentado en el español americano. Su plural es clósets (→ plural, 1h): «No… …   Diccionario panhispánico de dudas

  • clóset — (Del ingl. closet). m. Am. Armario empotrado …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Closet — (fr., spr. Klosäh), 1) ein Raum für Utensilien; 2) veraltet für Boudoir …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • closet — index chamber (compartment), hide, private (confidential), sequester (seclude), shroud Bur …   Law dictionary

  • closet — [n] storage cupboard, usually tall ambry, bin, buffet, cabinet, chest of drawers, clothes room, cold storage, container, depository, locker, receptacle, recess, repository, room, safe, sideboard, vault, walk in, wardrobe; concept 440 …   New thesaurus

  • Closet — For other uses, see Closet (disambiguation). A wall closet in a residential house in the United States …   Wikipedia

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