vacuum-sealed
Meaning
(of a container or package) having had the air removed from it before being tightly closed to preserve the contents.
Structure
Usage
The coffee beans stay fresher longer when stored in a vacuum-sealed bag.
Most smartphones are now vacuum-sealed to make them water-resistant.
For long-term storage, we recommend freezing the meat in a vacuum-sealed package.
Etymology
The term is a modern compound, combining two distinct concepts to describe a specific preservation technology. The first element, "vacuum," originates from the Latin vacuus, meaning "empty," which itself derives from the Proto-Indo-European root eue-, meaning "to leave, abandon, go out." This evolved to describe a space devoid of matter, particularly air. The second element, "sealed," comes from the Old English practice of authenticating and securing documents or containers with a wax seal, from the Germanic root seglaz. The compound "vacuum-sealed" logically describes the process of first creating an empty space (a vacuum) within a container and then fastening it shut (sealing it) to maintain that state, thereby preventing spoilage.
Analysis
- vacuum: From Latin vacuum (an empty space, void), from vacuus (empty, free). Functions as a noun used attributively to modify the type of sealing. - sealed: From Old English sealan (to fasten with a seal), from Proto-Germanic. Functions as a past participle/adjective indicating the state of being closed.