Skip to content

Claire

proper noun

  1. female given name
  2. family name
L495936 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈklɛə/ / [ˈkʰl̥ɛə] / /ˈkleː/

name

Etymology: Borrowed from French Claire, also a spelling variant of the English Clare.

  1. A female given name from French.

    "I told you I was called ,or that they called me Claire. Were you not surprised when you saw my name as Clarissa Lambert?" "Is that all?" I cried. "Why of course, I knew how common it is for actresses to take another name. I was even glad of it; for the name I know, your own name, is now a secret, and all the sweeter so. All the world admires Clarissa Lambert, but I alone love Claire Luttrell, and know that Claire Luttrell loves me."

    A woman named Claire should be able to describe the moon. Clair de Lune was of course one of Claire's favourite pieces of piano music.

  2. A male given name transferred from the surname, of rare usage, variant of Clare.

    When we arrived in Hangchow, all the pilots were honored at a big banquet given by that famous American general with a lady's name, Claire Chennault.

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from French claire, the feminine form of clair (“clear”).

  1. A small enclosed pond used for gathering and greening oysters.

    In order to prepare the ground of the claire for the reception of oysters, it must first be cleared of stones and all vegetation which may cover it, then the necessary slope from the center towards the sides may be given it.

    A barrel of lime was spread around the edge of the claire, so as to be gradually washed into the water and furnish the material required by oysters in the fabrication of the shell. Until October the oysters in the claire remained exceedingly poor, […]