clive Meaning & Definition

Synonyms of Clive

The source does not list synonyms for this entry.

Word Forms & Grammar

clive (third-person singular simple present clives, present participle cliving, simple past clived or clove, past participle clived or clove or cliven)

clive (plural clives)

clive (third-person singular simple present clives, present participle cliving, simple past and past participle clived)

Words That Rhyme With Clive

Origin of Clive

Origin 1: From Middle English cliven, from Old English clīfan (“to cleave, adhere, stick”), from Proto-West Germanic *klīban, from Proto-Germanic *klībaną (“to glue, stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *gleybʰ- (“to lubricate, stick”).

Origin 2: Cognate with Dutch kleven (“to adhere, stick”), German kleben (“to adhere, stick”), Swedish kliva (“to climb, stalk”), Icelandic klífa (“to climb, ascend”).

Origin 3: From Middle English *clive (in compound: Middle English garclive), from Old English clīfe (“clifers (cleavers), burdock”), from Proto-West Germanic *klībā. Cognate with Middle Dutch kleve, klijve (“burdock”), Middle Low German klive (“burdock”).

Origin 4: From Middle English cliven, from Old Norse klyfja, klufða (“to split, chop, cleave”), from Proto-Germanic *kleubaną (“to split, pick”), from Proto-Indo-European *glewbʰ- (“to cut, carve, peel”). Cognate with Old English clēofan (“to cleave, split, separate”). Doublet of cleave.