# clap

> English word · Noun · IPA /klæp/ · frequency rank #14,088

## Definitions
1. The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
2. The explosive sound of thunder.
3. Any loud, sudden, explosive sound made by striking hard surfaces together, or resembling such a sound.
4. A slap with the hand, usually in a jovial manner.
5. A single, sudden act or motion; a stroke; a blow.
6. The nether part of the beak of a hawk.
7. A dropping of cow dung (presumably from the sound made as it hits the ground)

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **cp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-cp)
- **cup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-cup)
- **cop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-cop)
- **CPA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-cpa)
- **CSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-csa)
- **coa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-coa)
- **CMA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-cma)
- **CTA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-cta)
- **CSP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-csp)
- **CLP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-clp)
- **CLC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-clc)
- **Clo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-clo)
- **club** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-club)
- **coal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-coal)
- **crap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-crap)
- **coat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-coat)
- **clay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-clay)
- **clip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-clip)
- **clue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-clue)
- **crop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clap-vs-crop)

## Common misspellings (6)
`calp`, `cclap`, `clapp`, `cllap`, `clpa`, `lcap`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/clap