A variant spelling of clarinet or an early form of this reed instrument; also an adjective meaning clear or bright in archaic usage.
Variant of 'clarin' or early French form of clarinet. From Latin 'clarus' (clear), via Medieval and Renaissance musical terminology evolving toward the modern instrument name.
The spelling evolution from 'clarine' to 'clarinet' shows how French played a major role—the '-et' suffix (meaning 'little') was added to suggest a smaller or more refined version of earlier instruments.
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