shunt
UK: ʃʌnt | US: ʃʌnt
vt. to divert or redirect (a flow, current, or path)
n. a device or passage used to divert something (e.g., electrical current, railway track)
vt. (Medicine) to surgically create an alternative pathway for bodily fluids
The word "shunt" originated in Middle English (14th century) as a verb meaning "to flinch or turn aside," derived from the Old English scyndan ("to hasten or avoid"). The core morpheme "shun" reflects avoidance or redirection, while the "-t" suffix (now obsolete) likely reinforced the verbal action. Over time, "shunt" evolved to describe mechanical diversion (e.g., railway switches) and medical procedures, retaining its core logic of redirecting movement.
The train was shunted onto a side track to allow the express to pass.
Engineers installed a shunt to bypass the faulty circuit.
The surgeon performed a shunt to relieve pressure in the patient’s brain.
Heavy traffic was shunted through alternate routes during the construction.
The electrical shunt diverted excess current safely to the ground.