conclude
UK[kənˈkluːd]US[kənˈkluːd]
v
to decide or believe something as a result of the information you have
v
to bring something to an end; to finish
v
to formally arrange or settle something, such as a treaty or agreement
Morpheme Breakdown
con
clude
con
together
clude
shut
Etymology
The verb 'conclude' originates from the Latin 'concludere,' meaning "to shut up, enclose, or bring to an end." This is a compound of the prefix 'con-' (thoroughly) and the verb 'claudere' (to shut). The literal sense of "shutting something in" evolved metaphorically to signify the act of bringing a process or argument to a definitive end. Over time, this meaning further specialized to denote reaching a final decision or judgment based on reasoning, effectively "shutting off" further debate or consideration.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + clude (shut)
con- is a Latin prefix meaning "together, with, thoroughly." -clude is from the Latin root -cludere, a variant of claudere, meaning "to shut, close."
Examples
The jury concluded that the defendant was not guilty.
She concluded her speech with a powerful quote.
The two nations concluded a peace treaty after lengthy negotiations.