Where does “clear” come from?

Clear comes from Middle English clere, from Old French cler, from Latin clarus meaning bright or shining, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kelh₁-.

clear (English): Transparent in colour; Bright, not dark or...

Definitions

  1. Transparent in colour; Bright, not dark or...

Ancestry of “clear”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishclereAlternative spelling of cler
2Old Frenchclerbright, well-lit, not dark; clear
3Latinclārusclear, bright
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelh₁-to warm up, to be hot; to warm up, be hot

Words derived from “clear”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₁- →