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shut·ter

(shŭtər)

1. One that shuts, as:

a. A hinged cover or screen for a window, usually fitted with louvers.

b. A mechanical device of a camera that controls the duration of a photographic exposure, as by opening and closing to allow light coming through the lens to expose a plate or film.

2. shutters Music The movable louvers on a pipe organ, controlled by pedals, that open and close the swell box.

tr.v. shut·tered, shut·ter·ing, shut·ters

1. To furnish or close with shutters: locked the doors and shuttered the windows.

2. To cause to cease operations; close down: shuttered the store for the holiday.

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shutter

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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