Clare

See also: clare, and 'clare

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /klɛə(ɹ)/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /klɛɹ/

Etymology 1

The anglicized spelling of Irish Clár, from Old Irish clár (“plank, board”), from Proto-Celtic *klāros, *klārom (“table”).

Proper noun

Clare

1. A county of Ireland.
2. A town in County Cavan, Ireland.
3. A district municipality in Digby County, Nova Scotia, Canada, named after County Clare.
4. A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare:
   1. An unincorporated community in DeKalb County, Illinois.
   2. An unincorporated community in White River Township, Hamilton County, Indiana.
   3. A minor city in Webster County, Iowa; after County Clare.
   4. An unincorporated community in Johnson County, Kansas.
   5. A city mostly in Clare County, Michigan; after its county and County Clare.
   6. A town in St. Lawrence County, New York.
5. A town in Mpumalanga province, South Africa.
6. A town in Clare and Gilbert Valleys council area, Mid North region, South Australia.
7. A unisex given name.

Derived terms

• Clare and Gilbert Valleys (South Australia)
• Clare County (named for the Irish County Clare)

Translations

county

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 克萊爾郡／克莱尔郡 (Kèlái'ěr Jùn)

• Irish: Contae an Chláir m
• Macedonian: Клер m (Kler)
• Manx: Coontae yn Chlaair m
• Russian: Клэр (ru) m (Klɛr)

town in Ireland

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 克萊爾／克莱尔 (Kèlái'ěr)

• Macedonian: Клер m (Kler)
• Russian: Клэр (ru) m (Klɛr)

Etymology 2

Medieval English vernacular form of Clara, from the Latin clara, feminine of clarus (“bright, shining, clear”), a post-classical name made famous by the 13th century Saint Clara of Assisi.
In Oxfordshire, from Clarora, a clay slope.

Proper noun

Clare

1. A female given name from Latin, more often spelled Claire from the 20th century onward.
   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
     : Act I, Scene IV:

     Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more,

     But rather wishing a more strict restraint

     Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare.

   • 1991, Thomas Head, "Clare of Assisi", An Encyclopedia of Continental Women Writers:

     Following Francis' example, Clare founded an order of religious women known as the Poor Ladies of Assisi (like Francis' Poor Men), and later as the Clarissas or Poor Clares in her honor.

   • 1999, Margaret York, The Price of Guilt, page 58:

     "What's your name?"
     "Clare Fairweather," she said. "Awful, isn't it?" and went away, hiding her mirth.

2. A small town and civil parish with a town council in West Suffolk district, Suffolk, England, previously in St Edmundsbury district (OS grid ref TL7745).
3. A hamlet in Pyrton parish, South Oxfordshire district, Oxfordshire, England (OS grid ref SU6798).
4. (Cambridge University, informal) Ellipsis of Clare College, Cambridge..

Derived terms

• Clarist
• Stoke-by-Clare

Translations

Clara — see Clara

Noun

Clare (plural Clares)

1. (Catholicism) Synonym of Poor Clare: a nun of the Order of Saint Clare.
   • 1759, Alban Butler, The Lives of the... Saints, volume IV, page 87:

     The chief house of the Clares in England stood near Aldgate; it was built by Blanche, queen of Navarre, and her husband Edmund, earl of Lancaster, Leicester and Darby, son to Henry III. and brother to Edward I. These nuns were Urbanists, and enjoyed revenues. They were called Clares or Minoresses, and their house the Minories...

Etymology 3

Proper noun

Clare

1. A surname from Old English derived from Old English clǣġ (“clay”) as an occupational name for a worker in clay.
2. A male given name transferred from the surname, of quite uncommon usage.

Anagrams

• Carle, Clear, Caler, Carel, carle, recal, clear, lacer

Manx

Etymology

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

Proper noun

Clare f

1. a female given name from Latin, equivalent to English Clara

Mutation

Manx mutation
Radical	Lenition	Eclipsis
Clare	Chlare	Glare
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.