different between clave vs clef

English

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kle?v/

Verb

clave

1. (archaic) simple past tense and past participle of cleave

   • And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

   • And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Etymology 2

From Spanish clave, from Latin cl?vis (“key”). Doublet of clef.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kl??ve?/

Noun

clave (plural claves)

1. singular of claves

Noun

clave (plural claves)

1. (music) A characteristic pattern of beats, especially the 3-2 son clave.

See also

• Clave (rhythm) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• calve

Asturian

Verb

clave

1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive of clavar

Italian

Noun

clave f

1. plural of clava

Anagrams

• calve

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?kla?.u?e/, [?k??ä?u??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?kla.ve/, [?kl??v?]

Noun

cl?ve

1. ablative singular of cl?vis

Noun

cl?ve

1. vocative singular of cl?vus

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cl?vis. Compare the inherited chave.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: cla?ve
• Rhymes: -avi, -av?

Noun

clave f (plural claves)

1. (music) clef (symbol)
2. juggling club

References

Spanish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin cl?vis (“key”). Compare the inherited doublet llave.

Noun

clave f (plural claves)

1. (figuratively) key (to a problem or puzzle)
2. password

   Synonym: contraseña

3. code
4. (music) clef
5. (music) clave

Derived terms

Related terms

• llave

Descendants

• ? English: clave

Adjective

clave (plural clave or claves)

1. key (important)

   Synonym: importante

Derived terms

• palabra clave

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

clave

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of clavar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of clavar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of clavar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of clavar.

English

Alternative forms

• cleff, cliff (both obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French clef, from Latin cl?vis (“a key”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?f

Noun

clef (plural clefs)

1. A symbol found on a musical staff that indicates the pitches represented by the lines and the spaces on the staff [from 16th c.]

Derived terms

Related terms

• clave

Translations

French

Etymology

See clé.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kle/
• Rhymes: -e
• Homophones: clé, clefs, clés

Noun

clef f (plural clefs)

1. Alternative spelling of clé (“key”)
2. (music) clef
3. (heraldry) key; the device as shown on a coat of arms

Derived terms

Further reading

• “clef” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French clef.

Noun

clef f (plural clefs)

1. key

Adjective

clef m or f (invariable)

1. key (vitally important)

Descendants

• French: clef, clé

Old French

Etymology

From Latin cl?vis, cl?vem (“a key”).

Noun

clef f (oblique plural cles, nominative singular clef, nominative plural cles)

1. key

Descendants

• English: clef
• Middle French: clef
  • French: clef, clé
• Gallo: tié
• Norman: clié