Etymology

operculate

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Today it means: Having an operculum. Full definition →

First used 1775Latin operculātus
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The story

  1. Latin · borrowed fromoperculātus
  2. English todayoperculate

Borrowed from Latin operculātus, perfect passive participle of operculō (“to furnish with a lid”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), from operculum (“lid”).

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1775 Having an operculum.
  • 1895 Any gastropod mollusc that has an operculum
  • 1623-1657 To cover with a lid.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.