"clé" meaning in French

See clé in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /kle/ Audio: Fr-clé.ogg Forms: clés [plural], clef [alternative], cleph [alternative]
Rhymes: -e Etymology: Inherited from Middle French clef, from Old French clef, from Latin clāvis, from Proto-Italic *klāwis, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w-. According to Bescherelle, the spelling clé had replaced clef by 1845. Etymology templates: {{glossary|Inherited}} Inherited, {{inh|fr|frm|clef|||g=|g2=|g3=|id=|lit=|nocat=|pos=|sc=|sort=|tr=|ts=}} Middle French clef, {{inh+|fr|frm|clef}} Inherited from Middle French clef, {{inh|fr|fro|clef}} Old French clef, {{inh|fr|la|clāvis}} Latin clāvis, {{inh|fr|itc-pro|*klāwis}} Proto-Italic *klāwis, {{der|fr|ine-pro|*(s)kleh₂w-}} Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w- Head templates: {{fr-noun|f}} clé f (plural clés)
  1. key (device for unlocking) Tags: feminine
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-Byb03wSe
  2. (figurative) key (essential attribute) Tags: feminine, figuratively
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-sNetaiRA
  3. wrench, spanner Tags: feminine
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-uYXxp~AJ
  4. USB stick Tags: feminine
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-AxrRPxX9 Categories (other): French entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 5 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of French entries with incorrect language header: 1 3 6 57 15 2 14 Disambiguation of Pages with 5 entries: 1 1 1 21 3 0 4 15 22 21 8 1 0 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 1 1 26 3 0 6 13 19 18 11 1 0
  5. (cryptography) key Tags: feminine Categories (topical): Cryptography
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-LHDhK3oG Topics: computing, cryptography, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
  6. (music) clef Tags: feminine Categories (topical): Music
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-h9atBJeD Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
  7. (heraldry) key; the device as shown on a coat of arms Tags: feminine Categories (topical): Heraldic charges
    Sense id: en-clé-fr-noun-DgTuE3~I Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: clavier, enclaver, serrure [feminine], verrou [masculine]

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "à clé"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "à la clé"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé à cliquet"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé à douille"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé à molette"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé anglaise"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé de bras"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé de contact"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé de lecture"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé de voûte"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé des champs"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé d’ut"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé étrangère"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé primaire"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé publique"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clé USB"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clés de la ville"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "fermer à clé"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "mettre la clé sous la porte"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "mettre la clé sous le paillasson"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "vi",
            "2": "cờ-lê",
            "bor": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Vietnamese: cờ-lê",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Vietnamese: cờ-lê"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "clef",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French clef",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "clef"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Middle French clef",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "clef"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French clef",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "clāvis"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin clāvis",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "itc-pro",
        "3": "*klāwis"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Italic *klāwis",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)kleh₂w-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w-",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Middle French clef, from Old French clef, from Latin clāvis, from Proto-Italic *klāwis, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w-. According to Bescherelle, the spelling clé had replaced clef by 1845.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "clés",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "clef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cleph",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "f"
      },
      "expansion": "clé f (plural clés)",
      "name": "fr-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "French",
  "lang_code": "fr",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "clavier"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "enclaver"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "serrure"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "verrou"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "And if I feel like leaving, lock me up and throw away the key.",
          "ref": "2015, Zaz, Si jamais j'oublie:",
          "text": "Et s’il me prend l’envie d’ m’en aller, enferme-moi et jette la clé.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key (device for unlocking)"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-Byb03wSe",
      "links": [
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "Difference is the key to existence.",
          "text": "La différence est la clé de l’existence.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key (essential attribute)"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-sNetaiRA",
      "links": [
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) key (essential attribute)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "wrench, spanner"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-uYXxp~AJ",
      "links": [
        [
          "wrench",
          "wrench"
        ],
        [
          "spanner",
          "spanner"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "1 3 6 57 15 2 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "French entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 1 1 21 3 0 4 15 22 21 8 1 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 5 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 1 1 26 3 0 6 13 19 18 11 1 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "USB stick"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-AxrRPxX9",
      "links": [
        [
          "USB stick",
          "USB stick"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "fr",
          "name": "Cryptography",
          "orig": "fr:Cryptography",
          "parents": [
            "Computer science",
            "Formal sciences",
            "Mathematics",
            "Computing",
            "Sciences",
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-LHDhK3oG",
      "links": [
        [
          "cryptography",
          "cryptography"
        ],
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(cryptography) key"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "cryptography",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "fr",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "fr:Music",
          "parents": [
            "Art",
            "Sound",
            "Culture",
            "Energy",
            "Society",
            "Nature",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "clef"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-h9atBJeD",
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "clef",
          "clef#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) clef"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "fr",
          "name": "Heraldic charges",
          "orig": "fr:Heraldic charges",
          "parents": [
            "Heraldry",
            "History",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key; the device as shown on a coat of arms"
      ],
      "id": "en-clé-fr-noun-DgTuE3~I",
      "links": [
        [
          "heraldry",
          "heraldry"
        ],
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ],
        [
          "coat of arms",
          "coat of arms"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(heraldry) key; the device as shown on a coat of arms"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "heraldry",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "monarchy",
        "nobility",
        "politics"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kle/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "Fr-clé.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/29/Fr-cl%C3%A9.ogg/Fr-cl%C3%A9.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Fr-cl%C3%A9.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-e"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "clef"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "clefs"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "clés"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Bescherelle"
  ],
  "word": "clé"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "French 1-syllable words",
    "French countable nouns",
    "French entries with incorrect language header",
    "French feminine nouns",
    "French lemmas",
    "French nouns",
    "French terms derived from Latin",
    "French terms derived from Middle French",
    "French terms derived from Old French",
    "French terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "French terms derived from Proto-Italic",
    "French terms inherited from Latin",
    "French terms inherited from Middle French",
    "French terms inherited from Old French",
    "French terms inherited from Proto-Italic",
    "French terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "French terms with homophones",
    "Pages with 5 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:French/e",
    "Rhymes:French/e/1 syllable"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "à clé"
    },
    {
      "word": "à la clé"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé à cliquet"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé à douille"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé à molette"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé anglaise"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé de bras"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé de contact"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé de lecture"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé de voûte"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé des champs"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé d’ut"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé étrangère"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé primaire"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé publique"
    },
    {
      "word": "clé USB"
    },
    {
      "word": "clés de la ville"
    },
    {
      "word": "fermer à clé"
    },
    {
      "word": "mettre la clé sous la porte"
    },
    {
      "word": "mettre la clé sous le paillasson"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "vi",
            "2": "cờ-lê",
            "bor": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ Vietnamese: cờ-lê",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ Vietnamese: cờ-lê"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "Inherited"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "clef",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "id": "",
        "lit": "",
        "nocat": "",
        "pos": "",
        "sc": "",
        "sort": "",
        "tr": "",
        "ts": ""
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French clef",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "clef"
      },
      "expansion": "Inherited from Middle French clef",
      "name": "inh+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "clef"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French clef",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "clāvis"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin clāvis",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "itc-pro",
        "3": "*klāwis"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Italic *klāwis",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)kleh₂w-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w-",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Inherited from Middle French clef, from Old French clef, from Latin clāvis, from Proto-Italic *klāwis, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kleh₂w-. According to Bescherelle, the spelling clé had replaced clef by 1845.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "clés",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "clef",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cleph",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "f"
      },
      "expansion": "clé f (plural clés)",
      "name": "fr-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "French",
  "lang_code": "fr",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "clavier"
    },
    {
      "word": "enclaver"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "serrure"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "verrou"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "French terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "And if I feel like leaving, lock me up and throw away the key.",
          "ref": "2015, Zaz, Si jamais j'oublie:",
          "text": "Et s’il me prend l’envie d’ m’en aller, enferme-moi et jette la clé.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key (device for unlocking)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "French terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "Difference is the key to existence.",
          "text": "La différence est la clé de l’existence.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key (essential attribute)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) key (essential attribute)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "wrench, spanner"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "wrench",
          "wrench"
        ],
        [
          "spanner",
          "spanner"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "USB stick"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "USB stick",
          "USB stick"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "fr:Cryptography"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "cryptography",
          "cryptography"
        ],
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(cryptography) key"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "cryptography",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "fr:Music"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "clef"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "clef",
          "clef#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) clef"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "fr:Heraldic charges"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "key; the device as shown on a coat of arms"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "heraldry",
          "heraldry"
        ],
        [
          "key",
          "key"
        ],
        [
          "coat of arms",
          "coat of arms"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(heraldry) key; the device as shown on a coat of arms"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "heraldry",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "monarchy",
        "nobility",
        "politics"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kle/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "Fr-clé.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/29/Fr-cl%C3%A9.ogg/Fr-cl%C3%A9.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Fr-cl%C3%A9.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-e"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "clef"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "clefs"
    },
    {
      "homophone": "clés"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Bescherelle"
  ],
  "word": "clé"
}

Download raw JSONL data for clé meaning in French (5.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable French dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-03-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-02 using wiktextract (db0bec0 and 633533e). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.