Where does “clef” come from?
Clef comes from Old French clef, from Latin clavis meaning key, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- meaning to cut or split.
clef (English): A symbol found on a musical staff that indicates...
Definitions
- A symbol found on a musical staff that indicates...
Ancestry of “clef”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | clef | key |
| 2 | Old French | clef | key |
| 3 | Latin | clāvis | a key |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | κλείς | Something used to lock/unlock: key, bolt, bar; A... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | klāwī́ds | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kleh₂u- | nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for... |
Words derived from “clef”