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"light (of a colour)" in seven languages

Meaninglight (of a colour)

Spanish

claro

/ˈklaɾo/

learned

Keeps cl- where the popular sound law gives ll- (llave ← CLĀVEM).

French

clair

/klɛʁ/

inherited

Italian

chiaro

/ˈkjaro/

inherited

Portuguese

claro

/ˈklaɾu/

learned

Keeps cl- where the popular sound law gives ch- (chave ← CLĀVEM).

Romanian

deschis

/desˈkis/

other source · past participle of deschide 'to open', from Latin DISCLŪDERE

Romanian colours are 'open' (albastru deschis) or 'closed' (albastru închis).

Catalan

clar

/kla/

inherited

Catalan keeps initial cl-: clau ← CLĀVEM.

English

light

/laɪt/

native English · Old English lēoht

English → Italianlight (of a colour)chiaroNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: clear, clarity, clarify.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CLĀRUM‘bright, clear’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Placed after the colour: azul claro, bleu clair, azzurro chiaro. French also turned the free A into ai [ɛ].

English relatives: clear, clarity, clarify

Sound laws at work

CL-, PL-, FL- at the start of a wordFrench stressed free A becomes e

Learn it

Practice the Colors deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esTiene los ojos azul claro.
  • frIl a les yeux bleu clair.
  • itHa gli occhi azzurro chiaro.
  • ptEle tem olhos azul-claros.
  • roAre ochi albastru deschis.
  • caTé els ulls blau clar.
  • enHe has light blue eyes.

More words from the same Latin

More in Colors

All Colors words