entry
clarinetto
/klariˈnetto/Small single-reed woodwind instrument with a bright tone
From Latin clar- (clear).
Word Ancestry
Picture an eighteenth-century Italian musician reaching for a new instrument whose sound could cut through an orchestra like a tiny trumpet. Its name, clarinetto, was built from clarino, the bright, high trumpet, with an Italian diminutive ending: essentially, “little clarino.” The older family begins with Latin clārus, meaning “clear” or “bright,” a word that also gave English clarity and clarion. The clarinet was not merely small in size; its early sound was understood through the familiar brilliance of the trumpet. So whenever a clarinet sings above the orchestra, its name is quietly saying: listen for the little clear voice.
The Story
Picture an eighteenth-century Italian musician reaching for a new instrument whose sound could cut through an orchestra like a tiny trumpet. Its name, clarinetto, was built from clarino, the bright, high trumpet, with an Italian diminutive ending: essentially, “little clarino.” The older family begins with Latin clārus, meaning “clear” or “bright,” a word that also gave English clarity and clarion. The clarinet was not merely small in size; its early sound was understood through the familiar brilliance of the trumpet. So whenever a clarinet sings above the orchestra, its name is quietly saying: listen for the little clear voice.
Kin & Kindred
From 'clar-'·clear, bright, sonorous
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Wiktionary