interlock

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌɪntərˈlɑk/ UK /ˌɪntəˈlɒk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to engage or connect parts so they move together or hold fast

The gears interlock to transmit power smoothly.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to engage or connect parts... interconnect mesh engage intertwine link interlace

Opposites

disengage separate unlock

Word family

Forms interlockedinterlocks

Derived forms interlocking

Related forms lockinterlocked

Etymology

From inter- ('between, mutually', from Latin) + lock, the latter from Old English loc ('fastening, bolt'), from Proto-Germanic *luką.

inter- Latin loc Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# interlock

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪntərˈlɑk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪntəˈlɒk/

## Meanings
1. to engage or connect parts so they move together or hold fast

## Examples
- The gears interlock to transmit power smoothly.

## Synonyms
- interconnect
- mesh
- engage
- intertwine
- link
- interlace

## Antonyms
- disengage
- separate
- unlock

## Derived Forms
- interlocking

## Related Forms
- lock
- interlocked

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: inter-
- Root: loc

## Etymology
From inter- ('between, mutually', from Latin) + lock, the latter from Old English loc ('fastening, bolt'), from Proto-Germanic *luką.

## AI Etymology
Interlock comes from inter- ('between, mutually', from Latin) + lock, the latter from Old English loc ('fastening, bolt'), from Proto-Germanic *luką. The etymological trail includes Latin inter- and Old English loc. As a verb, interlock means to engage or connect parts so they move together or hold fast. The same family is visible in derived forms such as interlocking and related forms such as lock and interlocked. Morphologically, the word is built from the elements named in its history, so the modern form preserves a visible compound, prefix, or suffix structure.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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