Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

claves

/ˈklɑˌveɪz/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.49 in modern English

Syllables
claves
IPA
/ˈklɑˌveɪz/
11
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A percussion instrument, consisting of two sticks or blocks, in which one is struck against the other in order to produce a sound.

noun

plural of clavis

noun

plural of clave

verb

third-person singular simple present indicative of clave

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin American Spanish claves (plural), from Latin clāvis (“a key; a lever, bar”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *(s)kleh₂w-, claves, clāvis

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈklɑˌveɪz/
  • British English: /kleɪvz/

Inflected Forms

clave (singular)

Phrases

rhythm sticks

Frequently Paired Words

rhythm sticks

Synonyms

cleavers

Rhymes With

waves slaves saves graves caves braves craves faves raves shaves staves paves

Questions

How do you pronounce claves?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈklɑˌveɪz/.
What does claves mean?
A percussion instrument, consisting of two sticks or blocks, in which one is struck against the other in order to produce a sound.
Where does claves come from?
It is traced to Spanish.

How to pronounce claves

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