Verschluss

Verschluss is a German noun meaning the act or result of closing, sealing, or locking an opening, as well as a device that performs this function. In everyday language it refers to closures such as lids, caps, doors, or other mechanisms that secure an opening, for example der Flaschenverschluss (bottle cap) or der Türverschluss (door lock).

In technical use the term has several specialized senses. In photography and optics, der Verschluss denotes the camera shutter, which regulates exposure; der Verschlusszeit refers to the shutter speed. In firearms, der Verschluss is the locking mechanism or bolt that seals the chamber during firing. In linguistics, Verschlusslaut (Verschluss) describes a stop consonant formed by a complete closure of the vocal tract, such as p, t, k. In medicine and biology, Verschluss can mean occlusion or closure of a vessel or duct, and it is also used for the surgical closure of wounds or anastomoses.

Etymology: Verschluss derives from the prefix ver- and Schluss, with Schluss meaning closure or end. The compound has been used in German since the early modern period to denote both the act of closing and the device that accomplishes it.

See also: Verschlusszeit, Verschlussmechanismus, Verschlusskappe, Verschlussart.