Where does “clef” come from?

clef (French) comes from Middle French clef, from Old French clef, from Latin clāvis, from Ancient Greek κλείς, from Proto-Hellenic klāwī́ds, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂u- — nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for...

clef (French): Alternative spelling of clé; clef; key; the...

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of clé; clef; key; the...

Ancestry of “clef”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchclefkey
2Old Frenchclefkey
3Latinclāvisa key
4Ancient GreekκλείςSomething used to lock/unlock: key, bolt, bar; A...
5Proto-Hellenicklāwī́ds—
6Proto-Indo-Europeankleh₂u-nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for...

Words derived from “clef”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂u- →Every word from Proto-Hellenic klāwī́ds →Every word from Ancient Greek κλείς →