Clean
/kliːn/noun
Free from dirt, impurities, or unwanted matter; morally or hygienically pure.
Did you know?The word’s Germanic ancestor meant “clear” or “pure,” and some scholars connect it—cautiously—to an ancient Indo-European root associated with shining or brightness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European (proposed)
PIE
*gel-
“To shine or have a bright, possibly yellow appearance; this connection with clean is considered probable by some sources but is not completely certain.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*klainiz
“Clear, pure, clean.”
Old English
Old English
clǣne
“Clean, pure, clear, free from dirt or moral impurity.”
Middle English
Middle English
clene
“Clean, pure, chaste, or free from contamination.”
14th Century
English
clean
“Free from dirt; also morally innocent or without guilt.”
Modern English
English
clean
“Free from dirt or unwanted matter; also used for hygienic, ethical, clear, or uninterrupted conditions.”