Bolt
/boʊlt/noun
A short metal fastener or a bar used to secure a door or lock, and also a sudden dash or flash of lightning.
Did you know?In Old English, a bolt could be an arrow or missile, so the word’s history is tied to speed, force, and sudden impact long before it meant a locking bar.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“to strike, blow, or swell”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*bultaz
“a bolt, arrow, or short missile”
Old English
English
bolt
“a short, thick arrow; a shaft shot from a crossbow”
Middle English
English
bolt
“a metal pin or bar for fastening; also a sudden darting movement”
Modern English
English
bolt
“a fastener, a flash of lightning, or a sudden run away”