A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

circumflex --- c.1577, from L. circumflexus, "bent about," pp. of circumflectere, used as a loan-tr. of Gk. perispomenos, lit. "drawn-around," with reference to shape.

circumlocution --- c.1510, from L. circumlocutionem (a loan-translation of Gk. periphrasis) "speaking around" (the topic), from circum- "around" + locutionem (nom. locutio) "a speaking," from stem of loqui "to speak."

circumscribe --- c.1385, from L. circumscribere "to draw a line around, limit, confine," from circum- "around" + scribere "write" (see script).

circumspect --- 1422 (circumspection is attested from 1387), from L. circumspectus, pp. of circumspicere "look around, take heed," from circum- "around" + specere "to look" (see scope (1)).

circumstance --- c.1225, "conditions surrounding and accompanying an event," from L. circumstantia "surrounding condition," neut. pl. of circumstans (gen. circumstantis), prp. of circumstare "stand around," from circum "around" + stare "to stand" from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Meaning "a person's surroundings, environment" is from c.1340. Obsolete sense of "formality about an important event" (c.1386) lingers in Shakespeare's phrase pomp and circumstance ("Othello" III, iii). Circumstantial evidence is from 1736.

circumvent --- 1534, "to surround by hostile stratagem," from L. circumventus, pp. of circumvenire "to get around," from circum "around" + venire "to come" (see venue). Meaning "to go round" is from 1840.

circus --- c.1380, from L. circus "ring," applied by Romans to circular arenas for performances and contests (esp. the Circus Maximus), from or akin to Gk. kirkos "a circle," from PIE *kirk- from base *(s)ker- "to turn, bend." First attested use for "traveling show" is 1791.

cirrhosis --- 1840s, coined by Fr. physician René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec (1781-1826), from Gk. kirrhos "tawny," for the orange-yellow appearance of the diseased liver.

cirrus --- 1803, of clouds, from L. cirrus "a lock, curl, tendril." So called from fancied resemblance of shape.

cis- --- prefix meaning "on the near side of, on this side of," from L. preposition cis "on this side of," related to citra (adv.) "on this side." Opposed to trans- or ultra-.

Cistercian --- 1602, from L. *Cistercianus (now Cîteaux), site of an abbey near Dijon, where the monastic order was founded 1098 by Robert of Molesme.

cistern --- c.1250, from O.Fr. cisterne, from L. cisterna "underground reservoir for water," from cista "chest," from Gk. kiste "box, chest" (see chest).

citadel --- 1586, "fortress commanding a city," from It. cittadella, dim. of cittade "city," from L. civitatem (see city).

citation --- 1297, from O.Fr. citation, from L. citationem (nom. citatio) "a command," pp. of citare "to summon" (see cite). Meaning "passage cited, quotation" is from 1548.

cite --- 1483, from O.Fr. citer "to summon," from L. citare "to cause to move, arouse, summon, urge, call," freq. of ciere "to move, set in motion, stir, rouse, call, invite" from PIE base *kei- "to move to and fro" (cf. Skt. cyavate "stirs himself, goes;" Gk. kinein "to move," kinymai "move myself;" Goth. haitan "call, be called;" O.E. hatan "command, call"). Sense of "calling forth a passage of writing" is first attested 1535.

citizen --- c.1314, from Anglo-Fr. citezein (spelling alt. by infl. of denizen), from O.Fr. citeain, from cite (see city), replacing O.E. burhsittend and ceasterware. Sense of "inhabitant of a country" is 1380s.

citronella --- 1858, from Fr. citronelle "lemon liquor," from citron (see citrus). Originally an Asiatic grass used in perfumes, later applied to a substance found in lemon oil, etc.

citrus --- 1825, from Mod.L. genus name, from L. citron, name of a tree with lemon-like fruit, the first citrus fruit available in the West. The name, like the tree, is probably of Asiatic origin. But Klein traces it to Gk. kedros "cedar," and writes that the change of dr into tr shows that the word came from Greek into Latin through the medium of the Etruscans. Citric first recorded 1800.

city --- c.1225, from O.Fr. cite, in medieval usage a cathedral town, but orig. meaning any settlement, regardless of size (distinction from town is 14c., though in Eng. it always seems to have ranked above borough), from earlier citet, from L. civitatem (nom. civitas) orig. "citizenship, community of citizens," from civis "townsman," from PIE base *kei- "to lie, homestead." The L. word for "city" was urbs, but a resident was civis. Civitas seems to have replaced urbs as Rome (the ultimate urbs) lost its prestige. City hall first recorded 1675; city slicker first recorded 1924 (see slick); both Amer.Eng. Inner city first attested 1968.

civet --- 1532, from Fr. civette, from It. zibetto, from Arabic zabad "musk," but perhaps ult. from an African language.

civic --- 1542, from L. civicus "of a citizen," adj. derivation of civis "townsman." Civics first attested 1886, Amer.Eng., by analogy with politics.

civil --- 1387, from L. civilis "of or proper to a citizen," alternate adj. derivation of civis "townsman" (see city). The sense of "polite" was in the L., from the courteous manners of citizens, as opposed to those of soldiers. But Eng. did not pick up this nuance of the word until 1606, though civility dates from c.1384. "Courteous is thus more commonly said of superiors, civil of inferiors, since it implies or suggests the possibility of incivility or rudeness" [OED]. Civil war "battles among fellow citizens or within a community" first recorded 1387 (in England, the 17c. struggle between Parliament and Charles I; in U.S., the War of Secession, 1861-1865). Civil rights is from 1721, specifically of black U.S. citizens from 1866; civil liberty is from 1788. Civil disobedience coined 1866 by Thoreau as title of an essay originally published (1849) as "Resistance to Civil Government." Civil Service originally c.1785, in ref. to the non-military branch of the East India Company.

civilian --- 1388, from O.Fr. civilien "of the civil law," created from L. civilis (see civil). Original meaning in Eng. was "judge or authority on civil law," sense of "non-military person" is first attested 1829.

civilization --- 1704, originally "law which makes a criminal process civil;" sense of "civilized condition" first recorded 1772, probably from Fr. civilisation, to be an opposite to barbarity and a distinct word from civility.

civilize --- 1601, from Fr. civiliser, lit. "to make citified," from O.Fr. civil, from L. civilis (see civil).

civvy --- short for civilian, 1889, in reference to civilian clothes of military men.

clack --- c.1250, from O.N. klaka "to chatter," of echoic origin.

clad --- 1300, alternate pt. and pp. of clothe, from O.E. geclæþd, pp. of clæþan "to clothe," from clað "cloth."

cladism --- 1966, from cladistic (1960), from Gk. klados "branch" (see holt).

claim --- c.1300, from O.Fr. clamer "to call, claim," from L. clamare "to cry out, shout," from PIE *kele- "to shout," onomatopoeic (cf. Skt. usakala "cock," lit. "dawn-calling;" L. calare "to announce solemnly, call out;" M.Ir. cailech "cock;" Gk. kaleo "to call," kelados "noise," kledon "report, fame;" O.H.G. halan "to call;" O.E. hlowan "to low, make a noise like a cow;" Lith. kalba "language"). The noun meaning "piece of land allotted and taken" (chiefly U.S. and Australia, in reference to mining) is from 1851. Claim properly should not stray too far from its true meaning of "to demand recognition of a right." Insurance sense is from 1878.

clair-de-lune --- 1877, from Fr., lit. "moonlight," as "color of moonlight."

clairvoyant --- having psychic gifts, 1847 (in clairvoyance), earlier "having insight" (1671), from Fr. clairvoyant "seeing clearly" (13c.), from source of clair (see clear) + voyant "seeing," prp. of voir, from L. videre "to see" (see vision). The noun is first attested 1851, from the adj.

clam --- c.1500, "bivalve mollusk," originally Scottish, from M.E. clam "pincers, vice, clamp," from O.E. clamm "bond, fetter," from P.Gmc. *klam-. Clambake is from 1835. Clam up is 1916, Amer.Eng., but clam was used in this sense as an interjection c.1350.

clamber --- c.1375, possibly frequentative of M.E. climben "to climb," or akin to O.N. klembra "to hook (oneself) on."

clammy --- 1398, probably from M.E. clam "viscous, sticky, muddy," from O.E. clæm "mud, sticky clay," from P.Gmc. *klaimaz "clay."

clamor --- c.1385, from O.Fr. clamour, from L. clamor "a shout," from clamare "to cry out" (see claim).

clamp (n.) --- 1304, probably from clamb, orig. pt. of climb, or from M.Du. klampe, from W.Gmc. *klamp- "clamp, cleat." The verb is from 1677.

clan --- c.1425, from Gael. clann "family, stock, offspring," akin to O.Ir. cland "offspring, tribe," both from L. planta "offshoot" (see plant (n.)). Gaelic (Goidelic) Celtic had no initial p-, so it substituted k- or c- for L. p-. Clannish is first attested 1776.

clandestine --- 1566, from L. clandestinus "secret, hidden," from clam "secretly," from base of celare "to hide" (see cell).

clang --- 1576, echoic (originally of trumpets and birds), akin to L. clangere "resound, ring," and Gk. klange "sharp sound," from PIE *klang-, nasalized form of root *kleg- "to cry, sound." Clangor is 1593, from L. clangor "sound, clang, noise." Related clank is from 1656.

clap (n.) --- gonorrhea, 1587, of unknown origin, perhaps from M.E. claper, from O.Fr. clapoire, originally "rabbit burrow" but given a slang extension to "brothel." Originally also a v., "to infect with clap."

clap (v.) --- O.E. clæppan "to throb, beat," echoic. Of thunder, c.1386. Clapper "tongue of a bell" is from 1379. Claptrap is c.1730 theater slang from actors' stage devices to get applause.

clapboard --- c.1520, partial transl. of M.Du. klapholt (borrowed into Eng. 14c.), from klappen "to fit" + L.Ger. holt "wood, board."

claque --- 1864, from Fr. claquer "to clap," echoic. Modern sense of "political followers" is transferred from that of organized applause at theater.

Clara --- fem. personal name, from L. Clara, from fem. of clarus "bright, shining, clear."

Clarence --- proper name and surname, from M.L. Clarencia, name of dukedom created for Lionel, third son of Edward III, so called from town of Clare, Suffolk, whose heiress Lionel married.

claret --- 1398, "light-colored wine," from O.Fr. (vin) claret "clear (wine), light-colored red wine," from L. clarus "clear." Meaning "red wine of Bordeaux" first attested 1700.

clarify --- 1325, from O.Fr. clarifier, from L. clarificare "to make clear," from L. clarus "famous, clear" (from clarare) + root of facere "to make, do" (see factitious).

clarinet --- 1796, from Fr. clarinette, dim. of clarine "little bell," from fem. of adj. clarin, from clair, cler (see clear). The instrument said to have been invented c.1700 by J.C. Denner of Nuremberg, Germany. Alternate form clarionet is attested from 1784.

clarion --- c.1325, from O.Fr. clarion, from M.L. clarionem (nom. clario) "a trumpet," from L. clarus "clear."

clarity --- c.1340, from O.Fr. clarté, from L. claritatem "clearness," from clarare "make clear."

clash --- c.1500, of imitative origin; the figurative sense is first attested 1622. Of colors, "to go badly together," first recorded 1894.

clasp (n.) --- 1307, claspe, perhaps metathesis alteration of clapse, and thus from O.E. clyppan "clasp." The verb is first recorded 1386.

class --- 1602, from Fr. classe, from L. classis, one of the six orders into which Servius Tullius divided the Roman people for the purposes of taxation, traditionally originally "the people of Rome under arms," and thus akin to calare "to call (to arms)" (see calendar). School and university sense (1656) is from the notion of a form or lecture reserved to a certain level of scholars. Natural history sense is from 1753. Meaning "a division of society according to status" is from 1772. The verb is first recorded 1705. Classy is from 1891. Class-consciousness (1903) is from Ger. klassenbewusst.

classic --- 1613, from Fr. classique, from L. classicus "relating to the (highest) classes of the Roman people," hence, "superior," from classis (see class). Originally in Eng. "of the first class;" meaning "belonging to standard authors of Gk. and Roman antiquity" is 1628. Classics is 1711; classical is 1599, "of the highest rank." Of music, first recorded 1836.

classify --- 1799, from Fr. classifier, from classe (see class). Classification is from 1790.

clastic --- 1875, from Gk. klastos "broken," from klan "to break," from PIE *kla-, var. of base *kel- "to strike."

clatter --- late O.E., probably from O.E. *clatrian, imitative, perhaps from PIE base *gal- "to cry out" (see call).

Claudius --- name of two Roman gentes, related to claudus "lame," of unknown origin.

clause --- c.1225, from O.Fr. clause, from M.L. clausa, from L. clausula "a closing, termination," in legal sense, "end of a sentence or a legal argument," from clausus, fem. pp. of claudere "to close" (see close (v.)). Sense of "ending" gradually faded.

claustrophobia --- coined 1879 (first in article by B.Ball in "British Medical Journal"), from L. claustrum "a bolt, place shut in," pp. of claudere "to close" (see close (v.)) + Gk. phobos "fear" (see phobia).

clavichord --- 1457, from M.L. clavicordium, from L. clavis "a key" (see slot (2)) + chorda "a string" (see cord).

clavicle --- 1615, from M.Fr. clavicule "collarbone," from M.L. clavicula, from L., lit. "small key, bolt," dim. of clavis "key" (see slot (2)); a loan-translation of Gk. kleis "key, collarbone." So called supposedly from its function as the "fastener" of the shoulder.

claw --- O.E. clawu, from P.Gmc. *klawo, from PIE *g(e)l-eu- from base *gel- "to make round, clench." The verb is from O.E. clawian.

clay --- O.E. clæg "stiff, sticky earth; clay," from W.Gmc. *klaijaz, from PIE base *glei "to stick together" (cf. Gk. gloios "sticky matter," L. glus, gluten, O.Slav. glina "clay"). Clay pigeon is from 1888.

claymore --- 1772, "two-edged broadsword of ancient Scottish Highlanders," from Gael. claidheamh mor "great sword," from claidheb "sword," from PIE base *kel- "to strike" + mor "great." An antiquarian word made familiar again by Scott's novels; modern military application to pellet-scattering anti-personnel mine is first attested 1962.

clean --- O.E. clæne "clean, pure," from W.Gmc. *klainoz "clear, pure," from PIE base *gel- "to gleam" (cf. Gk. glene "eyeball," O.Ir. gel "bright"). As an adj., replaced in higher senses by clear, pure, but as a verb (c.1450) it has largely usurped what once belonged to cleanse (from O.E. clænsian), which, despite its modern spelling (16c.) retains its M.E. pronunciation. Clean in the sense of "innocent" is from c.1300; that of "not lewd" is from 1867; that of "free of drug addiction" is 1950s. Clean up "make a large profit" is from 1929. To take (someone) to the cleaners "get all of (someone's) money" is from 1932. "Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness." [John Wesley, Sermon "On Dress," c.1791]

clear --- c.1280, from O.Fr. cler, from L. clarus "clear, bright, distinct," related to clamare "call out" (see claim), hence with an original sense of "clear-sounding." An O.E. word for this was sweotol. Of the weather, 1382; of meanings or explanations, c.1300. Sense of "free from encumbrance," apparently nautical, developed c.1500. The verb meaning "to leap clear over" is first attested 1791. Clearance is from 1563; meaning "permission to land or take off an aircraft" is from 1944, Amer.Eng. Clearing "land cleared of wood" is from 1683. Clearing house is 1832, the original one established 1775 in London by the bankers for the adjustment of their mutual claims for checks and bills, later extended to similar institutions.

cleat --- O.E. *cleat "a lump," from W.Gmc. *klaut "firm lump." Originally a wedge of wood bolted to a spar, etc., to keep it from slipping. Meaning "thin metal plate for shoes, etc." is c.1825.

cleave (1) --- to split, O.E. cleofan "to split, separate" (class II strong verb, past tense cleaf, past participle clofen), from P.Gmc. *kleubanan, from PIE base *gleubh- "to cut, slice." Past tense form clave is recorded in Northern writers from 14c. and was used with both verbs (see cleave (2)), apparently by analogy with other ME strong verbs. Common to c.1600 and still alive at the time of the King James Bible; weak p.t. cleaved also emerged in 14c. for this verb; cleft is still later. The p.p. cloven survives, though mostly in compounds. Cleavage in geology is from 1816. The sense of "cleft between a woman's breasts in low-cut clothing" is first recorded 1946, when it was defined in a "Time" magazine article as the "Johnston Office trade term for the shadowed depression dividing an actress' bosom into two distinct sections" [Aug. 5].

cleave (2) --- to adhere, O.E. clifian, from W.Gmc. *klibajanan, from PIE *gloi- "to stick." The confusion was less in O.E. when cleave (1) was a class 2 strong verb and cleave (2) a class 1 verb; but it has grown since cleave (1) weakened, which may be why both are largely superseded by stick and split. Cleaver "butcher's chopper" is from 1483.

clef --- 1576 in a musical sense, from M.Fr. clef, from L. clavis "key" (see slot (2)). The most common is the treble or G-clef, denoting the G above middle C on the piano.

cleft --- O.E. geclyft (adj.) "split, cloven," spelling infl. by cleft, new weak pp. of cleave (1), from P.Gmc. *kluftis.

clematis --- 1551, from L. Clematis, from Gk. klematis, name of some kind of climbing or trailing plant (probably the periwinkle), from klema "vine-branch."

clemency --- 1553, "mildness or gentleness shown in exercise of authority," from L. clementia "calmness, gentleness," from clementem (nom. clemens) "calm, mild," related to -clinare "to lean" (see lean (v.)). Meaning "mildness of weather or climate" is 1667; clement (adj.) is older in both senses, 1483 and 1622 respectively, but now is used only in negation and only of the weather.

clementine --- cross between tangerine and sour orange, 1926, from Fr. clémentine (1902). Originally an accidental hybrid said to have been discovered by Father Clement Rodier in the garden of his orphanage in Misserghin, near Oran, Algeria. Introduced into U.S. and grown at Citrus Research Center in Riverside, Calif., as early as 1909.

clench --- O.E. beclencan "to hold fast, make cling," caus. of clingan (see cling).

Cleopatra --- common name of sister-queens in Egypt under the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The name is Gk., probably meaning "key to the fatherland," from khleis "key" + patris. The famous queen was the seventh of that name.

clergy --- c.1200, clergie "office or dignity of a clergyman," from two O.Fr. words: 1. clergie "clerics, learned men," from M.L. clericatus, from L. clericus (see clerk); 2. clergie "learning," from clerc, also from L. clericus. Clergyman is 1577; clergywoman is 1673. Cleric (1621) was borrowed directly from L. clericus after clerk took its modern meaning. Clerical (1592) was originally "of the clergy;" meaning "of clerks" first attested 1798.

clerk --- O.E. clerc, from L.L. clericus "a priest," from Gk. klerikos (adj.) in church jargon "of the clergy," derived from kleros "lot, inheritance" (orig. "a shard used in casting lots"), used by early Gk. Christians for matters relating to ministry based on Deut. xviii:2 reference to Levites as temple assistants: "Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance," transl. of Heb. nahalah "inheritance, lot." If the word choice was meant to remind clerics of anything, however, the reminder was lost with the knowledge of ancient Gk. Modern bureaucratic usage is from c.1500, a reminder of the dark ages when clergy alone could read and write.

Cleveland --- laid out 1796 by Gen. Moses Cleaveland and later named for him. His descendants included U.S. President Grover Cleveland. The family name is from place names in England based on M.E. cleove, a variant of cliff.

clever --- c.1590, from E.Anglian dial. cliver "expert at seizing," probably from E.Fris. klufer or Norwegian dialectic klover "ready, skillful," perhaps infl. by O.E. clifer "claw, hand" (early usages seem to refer to dexterity); extension to intellect is first recorded 1704.

clew --- ball of thread or yarn, northern Eng. and Scot. relic of O.E. cleowen, probably from W.Gmc. *kleuwin, from P.Gmc. *kliwjo-, from I.E. *gleu- "gather into a mass, conglomerate" (related to clay).

cliche --- 1832, borrowing of a technical word from Fr. cliché, printer's jargon for "stereotype," supposedly echoic of mould dropping into molten metal, thus pp. of clicher "to click." Figurative extension is first attested 1888, following the course of stereotype.

click --- 1581, of imitative origin; the figurative sense of "fit together" first recorded 1915.

client --- 1393, from Anglo-Fr. clyent, from L. cliens (acc. clientem) "follower, retainer," perhaps a var. of prp. of cluere "listen, follow, obey" (see listen); or from clinare "to incline, bend," from suffixed form of PIE base *klei- "to lean" (see lean (v.)). The ground sense is of one who leans on another for protection. In ancient Rome, a plebian under protection of a patrician (in this relationship called patronus, see patron), originally in Eng. "a lawyer's customer," by c.1600 extended to any customer. Clientele is 1563, from Fr. clientèle, from L. clientela "relationship between dependent and patron."

cliff --- O.E. clif, from P.Gmc. *kliban, perhaps from PIE base *gleibh- "to adhere, be attached." Cliffhanger "suspenseful situation" first recorded 1937.

climacteric --- 1601, from L. climactericus, from Gk. klimakterikos "of a critical period," from klimakter "rung of a ladder" (see climax). A critical stage in human life, a period supposed to be especially liable to change. By some, held to be the years that are multiples of 7 (7, 14, 21, etc.), by others only the odd multiples (7, 21, 35, etc.), and by still others the multiples of 9. The Great Climacteric was the 63rd year (7x9), supposed to be especially critical.

climactic --- 1872, from climax, apparently on the analogy of syntax/syntactic.

climate --- 1375, from O.Fr. climat, from L. clima (gen. climatis) "region, slope of the Earth," from Gk. klima "region, zone," from base of klinein "to slope," thus "slope of the Earth from equator to pole," from PIE base *klei- "to lean" (see lean (v.)). Angle of sun on the slope defined the zones assigned by early geographers. Meaning moved from "region" to "weather associated with that region" by c.1600. Climatology first recorded 1843.

climax --- 1589, from L.L. climax (gen. climacis), from Gk. klimax "propositions rising in effectiveness," lit. "ladder," from base of klinein "to slope," from PIE base *klei- "to lean" (see lean (v.)). The rhetorical meaning evolved in Eng. through "series of steps by which a goal is achieved," to "escalating steps," to (1789) "high point," a usage credited by the OED "to popular ignorance." The verb is 1835, from the noun. The meaning "orgasm" is first recorded 1918, apparently coined by birth-control pioneer Marie Stopes, as a more accessible word than orgasm.

climb --- O.E. climban, from W.Gmc. *klimbanan "go up by clinging." A strong verb in O.E., weak by 16c. Most other Gmc. languages long ago dropped the -b.

clime --- 1542, chiefly poetic (see climate).

clinch --- 1570, "clasp, interlock," var. of clench. The sense of "settle decisively" is first recorded 1716, from the notion of "clinching" the point of a nail to keep it fast. Boxing sense is from 1860.

cling --- O.E. clingan "hold fast, congeal, shrivel," shifting 13c. to "adhere, stick together," from P.Gmc. *klingg-.

clinic --- 1626, from L. clinicus "physician," from Gk. klinike (techne) "(practice) at the sickbed," from klinikos "of the bed," from kline "bed," from suffixed form of PIE base *kli- "lean, slope" (see lean (v.)). An adj. originally in Eng., then "sick person," sense of "hospital" is 1884, from Ger. Klinik, itself from Fr. clinique. Clinical is from 1780; meaning "coldly detached, like a medical report" is 1928.