clé

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See also: CLE and cle

French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French clef, from Old French clef, from Latin clāvis, from Proto-Italic *klāwis, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w-. According to Bescherelle, the spelling clé had replaced clef by 1845.

Pronunciation

Noun

clé f (plural clés)

  1. key (device for unlocking)
    • 2015, Zaz, Si jamais j'oublie:
      Et s’il me prend l’envie d’ m’en aller, enferme-moi et jette la clé.
      And if I feel like leaving, lock me up and throw away the key.
  2. (figurative) key (essential attribute)
    La différence est la clé de l’existence.
    Difference is the key to existence.
  3. wrench, spanner
  4. USB stick
  5. (cryptography) key

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Vietnamese: cờ-lê

See also

Further reading

Irish

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old Irish clé, from Proto-Celtic *kliyā, substantivization of the adjective *kliyos (“left(hand)”). Cognate with Scottish Gaelic clì, Welsh cledd and Breton kleiz (all "left").

Pronunciation

Noun

clé f (genitive singular clé)

  1. left (side opposite right)

Declension

Declension of clé (fourth declension, no plural)
bare forms
case singular
nominative clé
vocative a chlé
genitive clé
dative clé
forms with the definite article
case singular
nominative an chlé
genitive na clé
dative leis an gclé
don chlé
  • Archaic dative singular: clí

Mutation

Mutated forms of clé
radical lenition eclipsis
clé chlé gclé

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

Karankawa

Alternative forms

Noun

clé

  1. water

Synonyms

Further reading

  • Anthony P. Grant, “Karankawa Linguistic Materials”, Kansas Working Papers in Linguistics, volume 19, number 2 (1994)

Old Irish

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *kliyos.

Pronunciation

Adjective

clé

  1. left

Inflection

io/iā-stem
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative clé clé clé
Vocative clí
Accusative clé clí
Genitive clí clé clí
Dative clíu clí clíu
Plural Masculine Feminine/neuter
Nominative clí clí
Vocative clí
clíu*
Accusative clí
clíu*
Genitive clé
Dative cléib
Notes * when substantivized

Descendants

Mutation

Mutation of clé
radical lenition nasalization
clé chlé clé
pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

Walloon

Etymology

From Latin clāvis

Pronunciation

Noun

clé f (plural clés)

  1. Key
  2. wrench, spanner
  3. (music) clef
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