Changes

From ME. clarté, a. OF. clarté:L. clritt-em clearness, f. clr-us clear. This early form has been changed in two directions: first by assimilation to clere, cleer, CLEAR, it became clerté, cleerte, CLERETE (cf. surety), which became obs. in 16th c.; secondly under influence of the Lat. [[original]], it became clarité, claritie, clarity (cf. purity, [[security]], etc.); this became almost obs. by 1700, but has been revived by many modern writers, and is now frequent in sense 4.

From ME. clarté, a. OF. clarté:L. clritt-em clearness, f. clr-us clear. This early form has been changed in two directions: first by assimilation to clere, cleer, CLEAR, it became clerté, cleerte, CLERETE (cf. surety), which became obs. in 16th c.; secondly under influence of the Lat. [[original]], it became clarité, claritie, clarity (cf. purity, [[security]], etc.); this became almost obs. by 1700, but has been revived by many modern writers, and is now frequent in sense 4.

==Definition==

==Definition==

*1. Brightness, lustre, brilliancy, splendour. Obs. (An exceedingly common sense in 17th c.)

*1. Brightness, lustre, brilliancy, splendour. Obs. (An exceedingly common [[sense]] in 17th c.)

:b. with pl. Obs.

:b. with pl. Obs.

:c. fig. ‘Light’. Obs.

:c. fig. ‘[[Light]]’. Obs.

*2. Glory, divine lustre. Obs.

*2. [[Glory]], [[divine]] lustre. Obs.

*3. Illustrious quality; lustre of renown. Obs.

*3. Illustrious [[quality]]; lustre of renown. Obs.

*4. Clearness: in various current uses; e.g. of colour, sky, atmosphere, sight, intellect, judgement, conscience, style.

*4. Clearness: in various current uses; e.g. of [[colour]], sky, atmosphere, [[sight]], [[intellect]], [[judgement]], conscience, style.

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]