Shroud
/ʃraʊd/noun
To cover, conceal, or wrap something, especially with a cloth or other covering.
Did you know?The burial sense developed from the older meaning “clothing” or “garment,” turning an everyday word for dress into one associated with death and ritual concealment.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
Old English
scrūd
“A garment, clothing, or covering”
Middle English
Middle English
shroud / schroud
“A garment, covering, or piece of cloth”
14th–15th Century
Middle English
shroud
“A cloth used to wrap a dead body”
16th Century
English
shroud
“To cover, conceal, or hide”
17th Century
English
shroud
“A covering or concealment, including figurative darkness or secrecy”
Modern English
English
shroud
“To cover, hide, or wrap; also, a cloth used for burial”