Blockade
/blɑːˈkeɪd/noun
The act of sealing off a place, especially by military forces, to prevent movement or supplies.
Did you know?Blockade entered English in the 1650s from French military language, and its root is tied to the same Germanic source as block, originally a log or barrier—so the word literally grew out of the idea of a wooden obstruction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*blukkō / *blok-
“A lump, log, or piece of wood used as a barrier”
Middle Dutch
Dutch
blok
“A block, log, or obstacle”
French
French
bloquer
“To block, stop, or obstruct”
17th Century
English
blockade
“A military obstruction of a port, city, or route”
Modern English
English
blockade
“The sealing off of an area to prevent movement or supplies”