Aperture
/ˈæp.ə.tjʊər/noun
An opening, gap, or hole, especially one that lets light or air through.
Did you know?Aperture comes from the same Latin root as *open* itself, and in ancient usage it could describe a literal opening in a wall, body, or vessel—language for breaking barriers, not just taking pictures.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃ep-
“to open”
Latin
Latin
aperīre
“to open, uncover, make accessible”
Late Latin
Latin
apertura
“an opening, a hole, a gap”
Old French
Old French
aperture
“an opening, breach, or gap”
Middle English
English
aperture
“an opening or hole”
Modern English
English
aperture
“an opening, especially one that admits light or controls passage”