Claire

See also: claire and clairé

English

Alternative forms

• Clare, Clair, Klaire, Klair, Klare

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klɛə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)

Proper noun

Claire

1. A female given name from French.
   • 1887, Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, Dead Man's Rock., BiblioBazaar,LLC, published 2007, →ISBN, page 198:

     "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."

   • 2006, Wendy Harmer, Farewell My Ovaries, Allen&Unwin, →ISBN, page 93:

     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.
   • 1991, Amy Tan, The Kitchen God's Wife, Ivy Books, →ISBN, page 203:

     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.

Translations

female given name — see Clara

Anagrams

• Carlie, eclair, lacier, éclair

French

Etymology

From Latin Clara, with transparent meaning in modern French (claire).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klɛʁ/

• Audio

  (file)

Proper noun

Claire f

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Clara

Related terms

• Clara
• Clarisse
• Marie-Claire

Anagrams

• éclair

Walloon

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klɛʀ/

Proper noun

Claire

1. a female given name