Where does “clef” come from?
clef (Middle French) comes 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 (Middle French): key
Ancestry of “clef”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | clef | key |
| 2 | Latin | clāvis | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | κλείς | Something used to lock/unlock: key, bolt, bar; A... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | klāwī́ds | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kleh₂u- | nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for... |
Words derived from “clef”