occlusive
UK[əˈkluːsɪv]US[əˈkluːsɪv]
adj
Relating to or causing closure or blockage.
n
A consonant sound produced by completely blocking the airflow in the vocal tract, such as /p/, /t/, /k/.
Morpheme Breakdown
oc
clus
ive
oc
against, to
clus
to close, shut
ive
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'occlusive' is built upon the Latin verb 'occludere', which means 'to shut up' or 'to close off'. This verb itself is a compound of the prefix 'ob-' (meaning 'against' or 'completely') and 'claudere' (meaning 'to close'). The prefix assimilated to 'oc-' before the 'c' of the root for phonetic ease. The suffix '-ive', also from Latin, transforms the action into an adjective describing something that has the quality of closing or blocking. Thus, the literal morphemic logic—'tending to close against'—perfectly captures the modern meanings, whether describing a physical blockage in medicine or the complete closure of the vocal tract in phonetics.
Analysis
Structure: oc (against, to) + clus (to close, shut) + ive (adjective suffix)
oc: A form of the Latin prefix 'ob-', meaning 'against', 'toward', or 'in the way of'. It assimilates before 'c'.
clus: From the Latin root 'claudere'/'clus-', meaning 'to close', 'to shut'.
ive: A suffix of Latin origin ('-ivus') used to form adjectives meaning 'of the nature of', 'tending to', or 'performing the action of'.
Examples
The dentist applied an occlusive dressing to protect the sensitive tooth.
Plosive sounds, like /p/ and /b/, are also known as occlusive consonants.
The doctor was concerned about the occlusive arterial disease restricting blood flow.