# clean

> English word · Adjective · IPA /kliːn/ · frequency rank #1,135

## Definitions
1. Free of dirt, filth, or impurities (extraneous matter); not dirty, filthy, or soiled.
2. Free of dirt, filth, or impurities (extraneous matter); not dirty, filthy, or soiled.
3. Free of contamination, (unwanted) germs, infection, or disease.
4. Free of contamination, (unwanted) germs, infection, or disease.
5. Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects.
6. Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects.
7. Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects.
8. Free of imperfections, blemishes, or defects.
9. Free of immorality or criminality.
10. Free of immorality or criminality.
11. Free of immorality or criminality.
12. Free of immorality or criminality.
13. Free of immorality or criminality.
14. Free of infiltration by covert listening or recording devices (bugs), enemy spies, etc.
15. Empty.
16. Smooth, exact, and performed well.
17. That does not damage the environment (as much as some alternative).
18. Allowing an uninterrupted flow over surfaces, without protrusions such as racks or landing gear.
19. Having the undercarriage and flaps in the up position.
20. Well-proportioned; shapely.
21. Cool or neat.
22. Utter, complete, total; pure; free from restraint.

## Etymology
From Middle English clene, clane, from Old English clǣne (“clean, pure”), from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“shining, fine, splendid, tender”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *glēy- (“gleaming”), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to gleam”). Cognate with Scots clean (“absolute, pure, clear, empty”) and clene, clane (“clean”), North Frisian klien (“small”), West Frisian klien (“small”), klean (“clean”), Dutch klein (“small”), Low German kleen (“small”), German klein (“small”), Swedish klen (“weak, feeble, delicate”), Icelandic klénn (“poor, feeble, petty, snug, puny, cheesy, lame”).

## Easily confused with
- **Cleo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleo)
- **clem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-clem)
- **cyan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cyan)
- **clear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-clear)
- **cream** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cream)
- **clerk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-clerk)
- **clown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-clown)
- **Cuban** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cuban)
- **cloak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cloak)
- **Conan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-conan)
- **Clegg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-clegg)
- **cowan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cowan)
- **cleft** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleft)
- **cleve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleve)
- **clears** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-clears)
- **cleans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleans)
- **cleary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleary)
- **cleats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleats)
- **cleave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-cleave)
- **Colman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/clean-vs-colman)

## Common misspellings (7)
`cclean`, `celan`, `claen`, `cleann`, `clena`, `cllean`, `lcean`

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