Clever
Definition
Clever is an adjective. It describes someone who is quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas, often characterized by ingenuity or originality. It can also describe something as well-designed or effectively created.
Parts of Speech
- Adjective
Pronunciation
American English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈklɛvər/
- Respelling: KLEV-ər
British English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈklɛvə/
- Respelling: KLEV-uh
Etymology
The word "clever" is of uncertain origin, first appearing in English in the late 16th century. It likely comes from a dialectal term meaning "nimble-fingered," which evolved to mean "mentally agile" or "quick-witted" by the early 18th century.
Derivatives
- Cleverness (noun)
- Cleverly (adverb)
- Unclever (adjective)
- Cleverish (adjective)
- Clever-clogs (noun, informal)
Synonyms
- Intelligent
- Smart
- Witty
Antonyms
- Unintelligent
- Foolish
- Dim-witted
Usage
The term "clever" is commonly used to describe someone’s quick thinking or creativity, or something that is well-designed. For example, "She’s a clever student who always finds solutions quickly," or "That’s a clever tool for organizing cables."
Related Terms
- Ingenious: Demonstrating inventiveness or resourcefulness.
- Resourceful: Able to handle difficult situations effectively.
- Intelligent: Having a high mental capacity for learning and understanding.
Detailed Definitions
Adjective
- Quick to understand, learn, or apply ideas: Describes someone with mental agility and adaptability.
- Example: "He’s very clever with numbers and calculations."
- Showing inventiveness or originality: Describes something or someone that demonstrates ingenuity.
- Example: "Her clever solution to the problem saved time and resources."
- Skillfully or effectively designed: Used to describe tools, devices, or methods that are particularly well thought out.
- Example: "This gadget is very clever and easy to use."
clever
The cat was clever enough to use a mirror to trick the mouse.
A clever squirrel uses a simple pulley system to lift an acorn to its treehouse.
The clever fox quickly found its way through a tricky maze to get the prize.
🇨🇳 Mandarin
- 聪明 (meaning: clever as in intelligent)
- IPA Pronunciation: /tsʰʊŋ˥ miŋ˥/
- Respelling in English: cōngmíng
🇮🇳 Hindi
- चतुर (meaning: clever, cunning)
- IPA Pronunciation: /t͡ʃə.t̪ur/
- Respelling in English: chatur
- होशियार (meaning: clever, alert)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɦoː.ʃiː.jaːr/
- Respelling in English: hoshiyaar
🇪🇸 Spanish
- Listo (meaning: clever, smart)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈlis.to/
- Respelling in English: listo
- Astuto (meaning: cunning, sly)
- IPA Pronunciation: /asˈtu.to/
- Respelling in English: astuto
🇫🇷 French
- Intelligent (meaning: intelligent, smart)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɛ̃.tɛ.li.ʒɑ̃/
- Respelling in English: intelligent
- Malin (meaning: clever, cunning)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ma.lɛ̃/
- Respelling in English: malin
🇸🇦 Modern Standard Arabic
- ذكي (meaning: clever, smart)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ðakiː/
- Respelling in English: dhakiy
- مكار (meaning: cunning, sly)
- IPA Pronunciation: /maːkaːr/
- Respelling in English: makaar
🇧🇩 Bengali
- চতুর (meaning: clever)
- IPA Pronunciation: /t͡ʃɔtur/
- Respelling in English: chotur
- অগ্রগণ্য (meaning: leading, prominent)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɔgrogoɳjo/
- Respelling in English: ogrogonjo
🇷🇺 Russian
- Умный (meaning: clever, intelligent)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈum.nɨj/
- Respelling in English: umnyj
- Хитрый (meaning: sly, cunning)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈxʲitrɨj/
- Respelling in English: khitryj
🇵🇹 Portuguese
- Inteligente (meaning: intelligent, smart)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ĩ.tɨ.liˈʒẽ.t(ʃ)i/
- Respelling in English: inteligente
- Astuto (meaning: astute, cunning)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɐʃˈtu.tu/
- Respelling in English: astuto
🇮🇩 Indonesian
- Cerdas (meaning: clever, intelligent)
- IPA Pronunciation: /t͡ʃərdas/
- Respelling in English: cerdas
- Licik (meaning: sly, cunning)
- IPA Pronunciation: /lit͡ʃik/
- Respelling in English: licik
🇩🇪 German
- Klug (meaning: clever, wise)
- IPA Pronunciation: /kluːk/
- Respelling in English: klug
- Schlau (meaning: sly, cunning)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ʃlaʊ̯/
- Respelling in English: schlau
🇯🇵 Japanese
- 利口 (meaning: clever, intelligent)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ri.koː/
- Respelling in English: rikō
🇻🇳 Vietnamese
- Thông minh (meaning: intelligent, smart)
- IPA Pronunciation: /tʰoːŋ˧ miɲ˧˧/
- Respelling in English: thông minh
🇰🇷 Korean
- 똑똑한 (meaning: clever, smart)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ttok̚.ttok̚.han/
- Respelling in English: ttokttokhan
🇹🇷 Turkish
- Zeki (meaning: clever, intelligent)
- IPA Pronunciation: /zeːki/
- Respelling in English: zeki
- Kurnaz (meaning: cunning, sly)
- IPA Pronunciation: /kur'naz/
- Respelling in English: kurnaz
🇵🇰 Urdu
- ہوشیار (meaning: clever, alert)
- IPA Pronunciation: /ɦoː.ʃiː.jaːr/
- Respelling in English: hoshiyaar
- چالاک (meaning: cunning, sly)
- IPA Pronunciation: /t͡ʃaː.laːk/
- Respelling in English: chaalaak
