Where does “cleff” come from?
cleff (Welsh) comes from English clef, 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...
cleff (Welsh): clef
Definitions
- clef
Ancestry of “cleff”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clef | A symbol found on a musical staff that indicates... |
| 2 | Middle French | clef | key |
| 3 | Old French | clef | key |
| 4 | Latin | clāvis | a key |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κλείς | Something used to lock/unlock: key, bolt, bar; A... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | klāwī́ds | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kleh₂u- | nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for... |