clean

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled clane

US /kliːn/ UK /kliːn/ See IPA manual

Freq #685

Meanings

1

adj
Free from dirt, marks, or stains.

Please put on a clean shirt.
2

verb
To remove dirt or mess from something.

I clean my house every week.
3

adj
Done well and without mistakes or problems.

The pilot made a clean landing.
4

adj
No longer taking illegal drugs.

After years of addiction, he has been clean for four years.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

immaculate pristinespick-and-spanspotless stainlessunsoiledunsullied

Opposites

dirty unclean

Word family

Forms cleanedcleanestcleaningcleansuncleaned

Derived forms biocleanbroom-cleanclean-handedclean-labelclean-limbedclean-livingclean-shavedclean-timberedclean-upcleanabilitycleanablecleanaholic

Related forms dry-cleanpurevacuum-clean

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *klainī Old English clǣne Middle English clene English clean From Middle English clene, clane, from Old English clǣne (“clean, pure”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“shining, fine, splendid, tender”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”). Cognate with Scots clean (“absolute, pure, clear, empty”) and clene, clane (“clean”), North Frisian klien (“small”), West Frisian klien (“small”), klean (“clean”), Dutch klein (“small”), Low German kleen (“small”), German klein (“small”), Swedish klen (“weak, f…

clene Middle English clǣne Old English *klainī Proto-West Germanic *glēy- Proto-Indo-European *gel- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

External links

# clean

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adj, verb
**IPA (US):** /kliːn/
**IPA (UK):** /kliːn/
**Frequency rank:** 685

## Meanings
1. Free from dirt, marks, or stains.
2. To remove dirt or mess from something.
3. Done well and without mistakes or problems.
4. No longer taking illegal drugs.

## Examples
- Please put on a clean shirt.
- I clean my house every week.
- The pilot made a clean landing.
- After years of addiction, he has been clean for four years.

## Synonyms
- immaculate
- pristine
- spick-and-span
- spotless
- stainless
- unsoiled
- unsullied

## Antonyms
- dirty
- unclean

## Derived Forms
- bioclean
- broom-clean
- clean-handed
- clean-label
- clean-limbed
- clean-living
- clean-shaved
- clean-timbered
- clean-up
- cleanability
- cleanable
- cleanaholic

## Related Forms
- dry-clean
- pure
- vacuum-clean

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: clene
- Root: clǣne
- Root: *klainī
- Root: *glēy-
- Root: *gel-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *klainī Old English clǣne Middle English clene English clean From Middle English clene, clane, from Old English clǣne (“clean, pure”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“shining, fine, splendid, tender”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”). Cognate with Scots clean (“absolute, pure, clear, empty”) and clene, clane (“clean”), North Frisian klien (“small”), West Frisian klien (“small”), klean (“clean”), Dutch klein (“small”), Low German kleen (“small”), German klein (“small”), Swedish klen (“weak, f…

## AI Etymology
clean is a verb and adjective. It is from Middle English clene, clane, from Old English clǣne (“clean, pure”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“shining, fine, splendid, tender”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”). Historical forms in the chain include clene (Middle English), clǣne (Old English), *klainī (Proto-West Germanic), *glēy- (Proto-Indo-European), and *gel- (Proto-Indo-European). Current senses include free from dirt, marks, or stains, to remove dirt or mess from something, and done well and without mistakes or problems. Derived forms include bioclean, broom-clean, clean-handed, clean-label, and clean-limbed. Related words include dry-clean, pure, and vacuum-clean.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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clean

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