clé

See also: CLE and cle

French

Alternative forms

• clef (less common)

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

• IPA^(key): /kle/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -e
• Homophones: clef, clefs, clés

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

• à clé
• à la clé
• clé à cliquet
• clé à douille
• clé à molette
• clé anglaise
• clé de bras
• clé de contact
• clé de lecture
• clé de voûte
• clé des champs
• clé d’ut
• clé étrangère
• clé primaire
• clé publique
• clé USB
• clés de la ville
• fermer à clé
• mettre la clé sous la porte
• mettre la clé sous le paillasson

 

Related terms

• clavier
• enclaver

 

Descendants

• → Vietnamese: cờ-lê

See also

• serrure f
• verrou m

Further reading

• “clé”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Irish

Alternative forms

• clí (Galway)

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

• IPA^(key): /clʲeː/
• (Galway) IPA^(key): /clʲiː/ (corresponding to the form clí)

Noun

clé f (genitive singular clé)

1. left (side opposite right)

Declension

Declension of clé

Fourth declension

Bare forms (no plural of this noun) 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

Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
clé	chlé	gclé
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “clé”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “clé”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 146
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “clé”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931) Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, page 33

Karankawa

Alternative forms

• clay, glé’

Noun

clé

1. water

Synonyms

• comcom

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

• IPA^(key): [kʲlʲeː]

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

• Middle Irish: clé
  • Irish: clé
  • Scottish Gaelic: clì
  • Manx: clee

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
clé	chlé	clé pronounced with /ɡ(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “clé”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

Walloon

Etymology

From Latin clāvis

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kle/

Noun

clé f (plural clés)

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