The anglicized spelling of Irish Clár, from Old Irish clár (“plank, board”), from Proto-Celtic *klāros, *klārom (“table”).
Meanings
A county of Ireland.
A town in County Cavan, Ireland.
A district municipality in Digby County, Nova Scotia, Canada, named after County Clare.
A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare: ▸ An unincorporated community in DeKalb County, Illinois.
A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare: ▸ An unincorporated community in White River Township, Hamilton County, Indiana.
A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare: ▸ A minor city in Webster County, Iowa; after County Clare.
A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare: ▸ An unincorporated community in Johnson County, Kansas.
A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare: ▸ A city mostly in Clare County, Michigan; after its county and County Clare.
A number of places in the United States, likely to be named after County Clare: ▸ A town in St. Lawrence County, New York.
A town in Mpumalanga province, South Africa.
A locality in the Balranald council area, south-western New South Wales, Australia.
A town in Clare and Gilbert Valleys council area, Mid North region, South Australia.
mk Клер (county) · ru Клэр (county) · cmn 克萊爾 /克莱尔 (town in Ireland) · ga Contae an Chláir (county) · gv Coontae yn Chlaair (county) · ru Клэр (town in Ireland) · mk Клер (town in Ireland) · cmn 克萊爾郡 /克莱尔郡 (county)
Clare en · NOUN · etymology 2
Pronunciation
/klɛə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
/kleː/ (Australia)
/kleə/ (New-Zealand) without the cheer–chair merger
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.
Meanings
Synonym of Poor Clare: a nun of the Order of Saint Clare.
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... 1759, Alban Butler, The Lives of the... Saints, volume IV, page 87:
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.
Meanings
A unisex given name from Latin, more often spelled Claire from the 20th century onward.
Life on Martha’s Vineyard has been mostly ideal for 11-year-old Mary Elizabeth Lambert, the protagonist of Ann Clare LeZotte’s historical novel SHOW ME A SIGN (Scholastic, 288 pp., $18.99; ages 8 to 12). 2020 April 27, Meg Medina, “A Deaf Girl Finds Her Voice on Martha's Vineyard in the 19th Century”, in The New York Times Book Review, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Dec 2022:
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. 1991, Thomas Head, "Clare of Assisi", An Encyclopedia of Continental Women Writers
Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more,
But rather wishing a more strict restraint
Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. Act I, Scene iv
"What's your name?"
"Clare Fairweather," she said. "Awful, isn't it?" and went away, hiding her mirth. 1999, Margaret York, The Price of Guilt, page 58:
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).
A hamlet in Pyrton parish, South Oxfordshire district, Oxfordshire, England (OS grid ref SU6798).