claret · adj — of a deep purplish-red colour, like that of claret.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
claret is pronounced /ˈklæɹɪt/.
Why “claret” is a great word
A dry red wine, historically light-colored, produced in the Bordeaux region of France, or a similar wine made elsewhere. From Middle English claret, from Middle French claret (a light-colored wine), from Medieval Latin clārātum vīnum (clarified wine), from Latin clārus (clear, bright), the word arrived in English in the fourteenth century. Unlike "Bordeaux," which denotes a precise geography, or "burgundy," which evokes the earthy singularity of Pinot Noir, claret is the English drinker’s term for the structured, blended soul of Bordeaux. It is the glint of garnet in a cut-glass decanter, the scent of cedar and blackcurrant leaf in a cool cellar, and the faint, indelible stain on a linen tablecloth—the quiet, enduring taste of a borrowed tradition.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Middle English claret, from Middle French claret, from Medieval Latin clārātum vīnum, from clārus. Compare tent (“Spanish red wine”), also from color. Doublet of clairet.
adj
- Of a deep purplish-red colour, like that of claret.e.g.“Dhondt drives a claret 1927 Bugatti Royale Type 41, a real spanker, Sixsmith.” — 2004, David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas, London: Sceptre (Hodder and Stoughton), →ISBN:
noun
- A dry red wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France, or a similar wine made elsewhere.
- A deep purplish-red colour, like that of the wine; Bordeaux.e.g.“Honey smiled hugely, so that Alex was shown every one of her claret gums.” — 2002, Zadie Smith, The Autograph Man, Penguin Books (2003), page 243:
- Blood.
- someone connected with Burnley Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.
verb
- To drink claret.e.g.“We clareted and champagned till two—then supped, and finished with a kind of regency punch composed of madeira, brandy, and green tea, no real water being admitted therein. There was a night for you!” — 1814, George Gordon Byron, Baron Byron:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- spur 64% match — someone connected with Tottenham Hotspur FC, as a fan, player, coach etc. vs claret →
- blade 62% match — The (typically sharp-edged) part of a knife, sword, razor, or other tool with which it cuts. vs claret →
- bee 61% match — someone connected with Barnet Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc. vs claret →
- brewer 61% match — A person who brews (vocationally or avocationally); especially, one whose occupation is to prepare malt liquors, usually as part of an alemaking or beermaking process. vs claret →
- cottager 61% match — Someone connected with Fulham Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc. vs claret →
- addick 61% match — someone connected with Charlton Athletic Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc. vs claret →
- tiger 60% match — Someone connected with Hull City Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc. vs claret →
- baggie 60% match — A small bag, especially a small, clear, plastic bag. vs claret →