English

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Etymology

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From Latin clāvis (a key). Doublet of clef.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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clavis (plural clavises or claves)

  1. (archaeology) A Roman key.
    Synonym: key
    • 1873, “Proceedings of the Association”, in Journal of the British Archaeological Association[1], volume 29, April 9th, page 202:
      Iron clavis, the solid web-shaped at the edges to fit the wards in the lock, and having a pointed broach and a kite-formed looped haft.
  2. A device for restraint of the hands.
    Synonym: shackles
    • 1904, B. O. Flower, “Editorials”, in B. O. Flower, editor, The Arena[2], volume 32, VI. Dr. Bell shows how hopeless insanity was a fruit of public parsimony, page 540, column 2:
      His hands were restrained by means of a clavis and bolt (of iron), appropriated to each wrist, and united by a padlock.
  3. A glossary.
    Synonyms: glossary, idioticon, vocabulary
    • 1784 July 12, William Cowper, “To the Rev. William Unwin.”, in Robert Southey, editor, The Works of William Cowper, with a Life of the Author[3], volume 5, published 1836, page 54:
      Homer, with a clavis, I have had possession of some years.
  4. (taxonomy) A key; an identification guide; a series of logically organized groups of discriminating information which aims to allow the user to correctly identify a taxon.
    Synonyms: identification guide, conspectus, key
    • 1921, Alexander Irvine, “Short Notes: Rosa spinosissima×rubiginosa×f. cantiana, forma nova”, in Journal of Botany, British and Foreign, volume 59, number 702, page 180:
      There are many disadvantages in using a clavis intended for another country, which necessarily includes plants that are absent from our islands while it omits some that are present and neglects the peculiarities of our island flora.
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Translations

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References

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Anagrams

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Catalan

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Verb

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clavis

  1. second-person singular present subjunctive of clavar

Latin

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Latin Wikipedia has an article on:
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clāvis (a key)

Etymology 1

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From Proto-Italic *klāwis. Either a secondary i-stem derivation of the Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for locking doors) which gave also Latin clāvus (nail), an inherited Indo-European word originally denoting an instrument for unlocking doors, or a loanword from dialectal Ancient Greek *κλᾱϝίς (*klāwís) (Classical κλείς (kleís)), from the same Proto-Indo-European root.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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clāvis f (genitive clāvis); third declension

  1. a key
    • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 24:
      Post hanc orationem claves portarum pecuniaeque regiae ante pedes eorum posuit.
      After this discourse he laid the keys of the gates and of the royal treasure at their feet.
    • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Iudicum.3.25:
      [] et videntes quod nullus aperiret tulerunt clavem et aperientes invenerunt dominum suum iacentem in terra mortuum
      [] and, behold, he did not open the doors; therefore they took a key and opened [the doors] to enter [but] their lord was lying dead on the ground.
  2. Ellipsis of clāvis trochī.: an instrument in the form of a key, by which a top was set in motion
  3. a lever or bar for tightening a screw press
    Synonym: clāvis torculārī
Usage notes
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Not to be confused with clāva (a staff, cudgel, club) or clāvus (a nail).

Declension
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Third-declension noun (i-stem, accusative singular in -em or -im, ablative singular in -e or ).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative clāvis clāvēs
Genitive clāvis clāvium
Dative clāvī clāvibus
Accusative clāvem
clāvim
clāvēs
clāvīs
Ablative clāve
clāvī
clāvibus
Vocative clāvis clāvēs
Derived terms
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Descendants
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  • Balkan Romance:
    • Aromanian: cljai
    • Romanian: cheie
  • Dalmatian:
  • Italo-Romance:
  • Padanian:
  • Gallo-Romance:
    • Catalan: clau
    • Franco-Provençal: cllâf
    • Old French: clef (see there for further descendants)
    • Occitan: clau
  • Ibero-Romance:
    • Aragonese: clau
      Ribagorçan: cllau
    • Asturian: llave
    • Galician: chave
    • Portuguese: chave (see there for further descendants)
    • Spanish: llave (see there for further descendants)
  • Insular Romance:
  • Borrowings:

See also

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References

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  • clavis”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • clavis”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • clavis in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
  • clavis in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  • clavis”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • clavis”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Etymology 2

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Noun

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clāvīs

  1. dative/ablative plural of clāvus

Etymology 3

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Noun

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clāvīs

  1. dative/ablative plural of clāva