detent
UK[dɪˈtɛnt]US[dɪˈtɛnt]
n
A catch in a machine which prevents motion until released, especially one acting by means of a spring-loaded part engaging in a notch.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
tent
de
down, away, off
tent
to stretch, hold
Etymology
The word "detent" entered English in the late 17th century from the French détente, which itself derives from the Old French verb destendre, meaning "to release from tension." This Old French term is a compound of the Latin prefix de- ("off, away") and the verb tendere ("to stretch"). The literal sense of "releasing from a stretched state" evolved logically into the mechanical sense of a catch or pawl that holds a moving part under tension until it is deliberately released. Thus, the modern meaning retains the core idea of a device that holds or restrains (from stretching/tension) and then lets go.
Analysis
Structure: de + tent
- de (Latin origin, prefix meaning "down, away, off").
- tent (from Old French tente, ultimately from Latin tendere, meaning "to stretch, hold").
Examples
The gear shift lever is held in place by a spring-loaded detent.
You must depress the detent to rotate the dial to the next setting.
A faulty detent mechanism caused the safety latch to fail.