Cordon
/ˈkɔːrdən/noun
A cord, line, or barrier used to control access or separate an area.
Did you know?Cordon comes from French, ultimately from Latin *chorda* meaning “string” or “gut-string,” the same ancient thread behind words for musical cords and ropes.
Etymological Timeline
Greek Antiquity
Greek
χορδή (chordḗ)
“string, gut-string, cord”
Classical Latin
Latin
chorda
“string, chord, gut-string”
Old French
Old French
cordon
“small cord, string, ribbon”
17th Century
French/English
cordon
“a cord used as a barrier or line of defense”
Modern English
English
cordon
“a line or barrier of people, police, or objects surrounding an area”