Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clearest” come from?

Clearest derives from Middle English clere, from Old French cler, from Latin clarus meaning "bright" or "clear," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kelh₁- meaning "to shine."

clearest (English): superlative form of clear: most clear;...

Definitions

  1. superlative form of clear: most clear;...

Ancestry of “clearest”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-estUsed to form the superlative of adjectives and...
2Middle English-estUsed to form the second-person singular present...
3Old English-estsuffix forming feminine nouns, originally from...
4Proto-Germanic-istaz-est
5Proto-Indo-European-istHos—
6Proto-Indo-European-yōsForms adjectives from roots, meaning "very" or...
7Proto-Indo-European-yoss—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yoss →