Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

clarinet

/ˌklæɹɪˈnɛt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.12 in modern English

Syllables
clar-inet
IPA
/ˌklæɹɪˈnɛt/
10
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A woodwind musical instrument that has a distinctive liquid tone whose characteristics vary among its three registers: chalumeau (low), clarion (medium), and altissimo (high).

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian clarinetto, diminutive of clarino (“trumpet”) (as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet), from Latin clarus. Alternatively, the word may come from French clarinette, diminutive form of clarine (“bell”), from clarin, from clair (“clear”), from Latin clarus.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *kelh₁-, clarinetto, clarus, clarinette

Inflected Forms

clarinets (plural)

Derived Forms

clarinetist clarinettist clavinet

Phrases

alto clarinet bass clarinet basset clarinet contrabass clarinet soprano clarinet

Frequently Paired Words

chalumeau

Synonyms

agony-pipe

Rhymes With

get let set yet met forget bet net debt et upset threat

Questions

How do you pronounce clarinet?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌklæɹɪˈnɛt/.
What does clarinet mean?
A woodwind musical instrument that has a distinctive liquid tone whose characteristics vary among its three registers: chalumeau (low), clarion (medium), and altissimo (high).
Where does clarinet come from?
It is traced to Italian.

How to pronounce clarinet

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “clarinet”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌklæɹɪˈnɛt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “clarinet”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “clarinet” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.