clarion
clar·i·on/ˈklæɹ.ɪ.ən/noun, adjective, verb
clarion is spelled C-L-A-R-I-O-N: 7 letters and 3 syllables (clar·i·on). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 31,974th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, clarion means “A medieval brass instrument chiefly used as a battle signal; related to the trumpet, it had a narrow, straight pipe and a high-pitched, piercing sound” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of clarion is clarions.
How many letters and syllables are in clarion?
| Letters | 7: C-L-A-R-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: clar·i·on |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 31,974th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is clarion?
Clarion appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 31,974th 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 clarion?
- UK /ˈklæɹ.ɪ.ən/
- /ˈklæɹ.i.ən/
- /ˈklɛɹ.i.ən/
Clarion has 3 syllables, split clar·i·on in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-clarion.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with clarion?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as clarion (/æɹɪən/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: carolin, alicorn.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of clarion
- clarions plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- clarioning participle, present
- clarioned participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does clarion mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A medieval brass instrument chiefly used as a battle signal; related to the trumpet, it had a narrow, straight pipe and a high-pitched, piercing sound.
The clarion’s call to action has been heard.
- 2
The sound of a clarion (sense 1), or any sound resembling the loud, high-pitched note of a clarion.
- 3
An organ stop consisting of pipes with reeds giving a high-pitched note like that of a clarion (sense 1).
- 4
The middle register of the clarinet.
- 5
A charge thought to represent a type of wind instrument, a keyboard instrument like a spinet, or perhaps a rest used by a knight to support a lance during jousting.
adjective
- 1
Of a sound, a voice, a message, etc.: brilliantly clear.
her clarion top notes
verb
- 1
rareTo announce or herald (something) using a clarion (noun sense 1).
- 2
rareTo announce or herald (something) clearly, especially so as to stir or unite people.
- 3
rareOf a thing: to cause (a place) to echo with a sound like that of a clarion.
- 4
rareTo sound a clarion; also, to make a high-pitched, piercing sound like that of a clarion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Clarion in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense medieval brass instrument chiefly used as a battle signal:
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 clarion come from?
The noun is derived from Middle English clarion, clarioun (“trumpet with a narrow tube and a shrill sound, clarion; clarion player”) [and other forms], from Old French claron, clarïon (“clarion”) [and other forms], from Medieval Latin clāriōn, clario, clārōn (“clarion; trumpet”), from Latin clārus (“audible; clear, distinct, loud; (visually) bright, clear”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- (“to call, summon; to cry”). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).