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clap

/klæp/noun, verb

clap is spelled C-L-A-P: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 3.5 times per million words in written English, the 14,106th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, clap means “The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of clap is claps.

How many letters and syllables are in clap?

Letters4: C-L-A-P
Syllables1 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing3.5 times per million words; the 14,106th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is clap?

Clap appears 3.5 times per million words in written English, the 14,106th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce clap?

  • /klæp/

Clap has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-ncalif-theclap.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of clap

  • claps plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • clapping participle, present
  • clapped participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does clap mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.

    He summoned the waiter with a clap.

  2. 2

    The explosive sound of thunder.

  3. 3

    Any loud, sudden, explosive sound made by striking hard surfaces together, or resembling such a sound.

    Off in the distance, he heard the clap of thunder.

  4. 4

    A slap with the hand, usually in a jovial manner.

    His father's affection never went further than a handshake or a clap on the shoulder.

  5. 5

    A single, sudden act or motion; a stroke; a blow.

  6. 6

    The nether part of the beak of a hawk.

  7. 7

    A dropping of cow dung (presumably from the sound made as it hits the ground)

  8. 8

    slangSynonym of gonorrhea.

verb

  1. 1

    To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound.

    The children began to clap in time with the music.

  2. 2

    To applaud.

    The audience loudly clapped the actress, who responded with a deep curtsey.

  3. 3

    To slap with the hand in a jovial manner.

    He would often clap his teammates on the back for encouragement.

  4. 4

    To bring two surfaces together forcefully, creating a sharp sound.

    He clapped the empty glass down on the table.

  5. 5

    obsoleteTo slam (a door or window); formerly often construed with to.

  6. 6

    To create or assemble (something) hastily (usually followed by up or together).

    We should clap together a shelter before nightfall.

  7. 7

    To set or put, usually in haste.

    The sheriff clapped him in jail.

  8. 8

    slangTo shoot (somebody) with a gun.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Clap in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
GermanKlatschen (The act of striking the palms of the hands, or…), Knall, Schlag (Any loud, sudden, explosive sound), klatschen (intransitive: to strike the palms of the hands…), applaudieren (transitive: to applaud by clapping the hands), knallen (To bring two surfaces together forcefully…)
Portuguesepalma (The act of striking the palms of the hands, or…), estouro (Any loud, sudden, explosive sound), bater palmas (intransitive: to strike the palms of the hands…), aplaudir (transitive: to applaud by clapping the hands)
Spanishpalma, aplauso, plauso, palmeo, palmoteo (The act of striking the palms of the hands, or…), dar palmas (intransitive: to strike the palms of the hands…)
Frenchapplaudir (transitive: to applaud by clapping the hands), jeter, balancer (To set or put, usually in haste), chtouille, chaude-pisse (gonorrhea)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does clap come from?

From Middle English clappen, from Old English clæppan, *clappian, from Proto-West Germanic *klappijan, *klappōn, from Proto-Germanic *klappōną (“to clap”). Cognate with Dutch klappen, Icelandic klappa, Faroese klappa and Danish klappe.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after clap