A mechanical fastener that joins two objects or surfaces while allowing for easy separation. A device for keeping a door, gate, or window closed.
From Middle English 'lacche,' related to Old Norse 'lækja' meaning 'to close.' The word is connected to the verb 'latch' meaning 'to catch' or 'to fasten,' with both forms developing simultaneously in medieval English.
The humble latch represents one of humanity's earliest cybernetic concepts - it's a bistable mechanism that can exist in two stable states (open/closed) and switch between them with minimal energy. Modern computer memory and digital circuits are essentially sophisticated versions of the same bistable principle that governs a simple door latch.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.