clef

American  

[klef] / klɛf /

noun

Music.

1. a symbol placed upon a staff to indicate the name and pitch of the notes corresponding to its lines and spaces.

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clef British  

/ klɛf /

noun

1. one of several symbols placed on the left-hand side beginning of each stave indicating the pitch of the music written after it See also alto clef bass clef C clef soprano clef tenor clef treble clef

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Etymology

Origin of clef

1570–80; < Middle French < Latin clāvis key

Example Sentences

After all, her next book is a roman à clef about Gala, and writing about a woman who might be in dire straits would be exploitative.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2025

It is not signed by Chopin, but the handwriting includes his distinctive bass clef.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2024

The seamless overlap between real life and fictional counterparts, and the faithful reproduction of such well-established facts, conveys the author’s intention to offer a crystal clear clé to this roman à clef.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2024

The story quoted a few skeptics—among them the writer Harry Monaghan, who’d written a well-received roman à clef five years prior, and who had a regular column in the Post.

From Slate • May 27, 2023

The most important symbols on the staff, the clef symbol, key signature and time signature, appear at the beginning of the staff.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

• conceive
• design
• devise
• form
• invent
• orchestrate
• pen
• produce
• set up
• write