What is the root word for preclude?

The root word for "preclude" is cludere, which is Latin for "to close" or "to shut".

Here's how it works:

* Pre- is a prefix meaning "before" or "in front of".

* -clude is derived from "cludere", meaning "to close".

Therefore, "preclude" literally means "to close off beforehand" or "to prevent in advance".