clamor

[ klam-er ]

/ ˈklæm ər /

noun

a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people: the clamor of the crowd at the gates.

a vehement expression of desire or dissatisfaction: the clamor of the proponents of the law.

popular outcry: The senators could not ignore the clamor against higher taxation.

any loud and continued noise: the clamor of traffic; the clamor of birds and animals in the zoo.

verb (used without object)

to make a clamor; raise an outcry.

verb (used with object)

to drive, force, influence, etc., by clamoring: The newspapers clamored him out of office.

to utter noisily: They clamored their demands at the meeting.

Nearby words

clambake, clamber, clambering, clamjamphry, clammy, clamor, clamorous, clamorously, clamour, clamp, clamp down

Also especially British, clam·our.

Origin of clamor

1350–1400; Middle English clamor (< Anglo-French) < Latin, equivalent to clām- (see claim) + -or -or¹; Middle English clamour < Middle French < Latin clāmōr- (stem of clāmor)

SYNONYMS FOR clamor

1 shouting.

2 vociferation.

4 See noise.

Related formsclam·or·er, clam·or·ist, noun

Usage note

See -our.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for clamour

Outside parliament, anyone who challenged the clamour for partition was devoured by the mobs.
India’s Newest State Telangana Is Bosnia Redux|Kranti Rai|March 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Suddenly, on the upper floor, Colonel John heard a door open, and the clamour of a voice raised in anger.
The Wild Geese|Stanley John Weyman
Public talk and clamour may do something for the poor Irish, as it did for the slaves in the West Indies.
Peter Plymley's Letters|Sydney Smith
The whole crowd heard the words, for Michel's voice was pitched in a high, shrill key, which rang above the clamour and the babel.
Stories By English Authors: France|Various

I warned them at the beginning to abstain from clamour of this sort and to carry on the affair rather with writings and arguments.
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam|Ephraim Emerton
The people clamoured for a king, certainly from inferior motives, and Samuel yielded to their clamour.
The Expositor's Bible: The Second Book of Samuel|W. G. Blaikie

British Dictionary definitions for clamour

clamour

US clamor

/ (ˈklæmə) /

noun

a loud persistent outcry, as from a large number of people

a vehement expression of collective feeling or outragea clamour against higher prices

a loud and persistent noisethe clamour of traffic

verb

(intr; often foll by for or against) to make a loud noise or outcry; make a public demandthey clamoured for attention

(tr) to move, influence, or force by outcrythe people clamoured him out of office

Derived Formsclamourer or US clamorer, nounclamorous, adjectiveclamorously, adverbclamorousness, noun

Word Origin for clamour

C14: from Old French clamour, from Latin clāmor, from clāmāre to cry out

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for clamour (1 of 3)

clamour

chiefly British English spelling of clamor (q.v.); for spelling, see -or. Related: Clamoured; clamouring; clamourous.

Word Origin and History for clamour (1 of 3)

clamor

late 14c., from Old French clamor "call, cry, appeal, outcry" (12c., Modern French clameur), from Latin clamor "a shout, a loud call" (either friendly or hostile), from clamare "to cry out" (see claim (v.)).

Word Origin and History for clamour (2 of 3)

clamor

late 14c., from clamor (n.). Related: Clamored; clamoring.