Etymology
1. c.1280, from O.Fr.
cler, from L.
clarus "clear, bright, distinct," related to
clamare "call out" (see claim), hence with an original sense of "clear-sounding." An O.E. word for this was
sweotol. Of the weather, 1382; of meanings or explanations, c.1300. Sense of "free from encumbrance," apparently nautical, developed c.1500. The verb meaning "to leap clear over" is first attested 1791.
Clearance is from 1563; meaning "permission to land or take off an aircraft" is from 1944, Amer.Eng.
Clearing "land cleared of wood" is from 1683.
Clearing house is 1832, the original one established 1775 in London by the bankers for the adjustment of their mutual claims for checks and bills, later extended to similar institutions.
2. From Middle English clere, from Anglo-Norman cler, from Old French cler (Modern French clair), from Latin clarus. Displaced native Middle English schir (“clear, pure”) (from Old English scīr (“clear, bright”)), Middle English skere (“clear, sheer”) (from Old English scǣre and Old Norse skǣr (“sheer, clear, pure”)), Middle English smolt (“clear (of mind), serene”) (from Old English smolt (“peaceful, serene”)). Cognate with Danish, German, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish klar, Dutch klaar, French clair, Italian chiaro, Portuguese claro, Romanian clar, Spanish claro. See: French '
clair', French '
clair'.
Verbs referencing "clear"
Thai
เคลียร์.