Category: Daily LifePart of speech: nounDifficulty: Common
cle
/cle/Roman
English meaning: Key
Definition
A small metal instrument used to open a lock.
Example
“J'ai perdu ma cle de voiture.”
In English: “I lost my car key.”
Another example: “J'ai perdu la clé de mon appartement.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Feminine noun for a key; also figuratively the key to a problem, and in music a clef. The headword 'clé' is the modern spelling (older spelling 'clef'). Note the attributive idiom 'clé en main' (turnkey).
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
'Clé' comes from the Latin 'clavis', meaning a key or latch, and has retained a similar form throughout its history in various Romance languages.
Common Collocations
- la clé de la porte
- une clé USB
- la clé du succès
- fermer à clé
- un projet clé en main
Word Forms
une clé / clef (sg), des clés / clefs (pl); f.
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“Aimer, c'est agir.”
“To love is to act.”
“Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.”
“The perfect is the enemy of the good.”
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Language information
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- Latin
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- Romance
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