sluiter

Sluiter is a Dutch noun that refers to a device or mechanism that closes or seals an opening. The term is derived from sluiten, meaning to close.

In hardware and construction, een sluiter often denotes a component that secures or locks a part such as a door, window, lid, or drawer. Examples include latches, bolts, and other locking elements that engage to prevent movement or separation. In this sense, sluiter is used in combination with other words (for example deursluiter or raamsluiter) to name specific closing devices.

In fluid and valve technology, sluiter can describe the closing element inside a valve or shut-off device. In Dutch technical language, more common terms for these components are afsluiter or klep, but sluiter may be encountered as a generic designation for the part that closes the passage.

Etymology and usage notes: Sluiter comes from sluiten, to close, and is primarily a technical or mechanical term. It is not typically used as a general everyday word for a person who closes something, nor as a standalone common noun outside specialized contexts. In practice, the meaning is clarified by context or by accompanying words that specify the object (door, lid, valve, etc.).

See also: afsluiter, klep, deurdranger, deursluiter, raamsluiter.