Clovis

¹ American  

[kloh-vis] / ˈkloʊ vɪs /

adjective

1. of or relating to a Paleo-Indian cultural tradition of North America, especially the American Southwest, dated 10,000–9000 b.c. and characterized by a usually bifacial, fluted stone projectile point Clovis point used in big-game hunting.

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Clovis ² American  

[kloh-vis] / ˈkloʊ vɪs /

noun

1. a town in central California.

2. a city in E New Mexico.

3. a male given name.

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Etymology

Origin of Clovis

1955–60; after Clovis, New Mexico, near where such projectile points were found

Example Sentences

A tornado’s intensity is determined, in part, by the damage it causes and the damage around Clovis elevated Tuesday’s tornado to an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, Molina said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

It happened on Friday night with a 73-66 win over Clovis in the girls’ Division I state championship game at Golden 1 Center.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

The loss of Ice Age megafauna and the disappearance of Clovis tools and artifacts occurred around the same time as the onset of the Younger Dryas.

From Science Daily • Jan. 1, 2026

According to the study, this growing body of evidence "supports a cosmic impact as a major contributing factor in the megafaunal extinctions and the collapse of the Clovis technocomplex at the Younger Dryas onset."

From Science Daily • Jan. 1, 2026

The consensus around Clovis helped beat them back, but the confused back-and-forth ushered in by the genetic studies has provided a new opening.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann