Word
clarence
US/ˈkɫɛɹəns/
UK/klˈæɹəns/
Definitions
01a person's name
n. a traditional male first name or a family name.
n. a masculine given name or surname of English origin.
“Clarence was a very popular name for boys in the early twentieth century.”
“The historian noted that the name Clarence saw a significant decline in popularity following the Victorian era.”
02a carriage
n. a closed carriage with four wheels and a glass front, pulled by horses.
n. a four-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle with a glass front and seating for four passengers, common in the 19th century.
“The wealthy family arrived at the theater in a shiny black clarence.”
“The clarence was often preferred over the brougham for city travel because its glass front offered passengers a better view of the streets.”
Archaic
Usage
Usually functions as a common noun when referring to the vehicle type.
Etymology
Originally a ducal title of the English and British royal family, from Clārensis (“from the town of Clare”), (the town of Clare, Suffolk), although it has also been associated with Italian Chiarenza, Clarentza, &c., a former fortress and settlement in the medieval Frankish Principality of Achaea in Greece.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/clarence