elapsed
UK[ɪˈlæpst]US[ɪˈlæpst]
v
(of time) to pass or go by
Morpheme Breakdown
e
laps
ed
e
out
laps
slip, glide
ed
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'elapsed' originates from the Latin verb 'elabi', meaning "to slip away", composed of 'e-' (out) and 'labi' (to glide, slip). Its past participle 'elapsus' entered English in the late 16th century, carrying the sense of time having "slipped away" or passed. The core imagery is of time gliding or slipping out of one's grasp, a metaphorical extension of physical motion into the abstract dimension of temporal passage. The modern usage retains this precise, almost quiet, sense of time having moved on.
Analysis
Structure: e (out) + laps (slip, glide) + ed (verb suffix)
e: Latin prefix, meaning "out".
laps: Latin root, from 'lapsus', meaning "a slipping, gliding".
ed: English suffix, indicating past tense or past participle.
Examples
Several years had elapsed since their last meeting.
Please check the elapsed time on the stopwatch.
He continued his work, barely noticing how much time had elapsed.