French word clair comes from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁-, and later Latin clarus (Clear, bright. Renowned, famous. Upstanding, respected.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *kelh₁- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *klāros | Proto-Italic (itc-pro) | |
| clarus | Latin (lat) | Clear, bright. Renowned, famous. Upstanding, respected. |
| cler | Old French (fro) | Bright, well-lit, not dark. Clear (visible). |
| clair | French (fra) | (of a color) light (having a light shade, not dark). Clear (see-through). Clear (understandable) Clearly Light. |
| cler | Middle French (frm) | Bright, well-lit, not dark. Clear (visible). |