clue
English
/kluː/, /kljuː/
noun
Definitions
- (now) A strand of yarn etc. as used to guide one through a labyrinth; something which points the way, a guide.
- Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
- An object or a kind of indication which may be used as evidence.
- (slang) Insight or understanding ("to have a clue [about]" or "to have clue". See have a clue, clue stick)
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English clewe inherited from Old English clēowen inherited from Proto-Germanic *kliuwīną inherited from Proto-Indo-European *glew- (ball up, lump, mass, conglomerate, ball, clump, bale, amass, gather into a mass).
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*glew-
Gloss
ball up, lump, mass, conglomerate, ball, clump, bale, amass, gather into a mass
Concept
Semantic Field
Spatial relations
Ontological Category
Person/Thing
Kanji
玉
Emoji
⚽️ ⚾️ ⛳️ ⛹️ ⛹️♀️ ⛹️♂️ 🍙 🎊 🎱 🎳 🎾 🏀 🏈 🏉 🏌️ 🏏 🏐 🏑 🏓 🔮 🤾 🥍 🥎 🧶
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- bat English
- clew English
- clue stick English
- cluebat English
- clueful English
- cluefully English
- cluefulness English
- clueless English
- cluelessly English
- cluelessness English
- cluelike English
- cluey English
- stick English
- unclue English
- *glew- Proto-Indo-European
- *kliuwiną Proto-Germanic
- *kliuwīną Proto-Germanic
- *klu- Proto-Germanic
- *klukjaną Proto-Germanic
- cleowen Old English
- cliwen Old English
- clēowen Old English
- clīwen Old English
- cleche Middle English
- clewe Middle English
- *kliuwīn Old Dutch