clef

la clef
A feminine noun is used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la dame, la lune).
feminine noun
a. key
Terry ne peut pas conduire sa voiture parce qu'il a oublié sa clef chez lui.Terry cannot drive his car because he forgot his key at home.
a. wrench
Regionalism used in the United States.
(United States)
Mon mécanicien a dû commander une clef spéciale pour desserrer un élément du moteur.My mechanic had to order a special wrench to loosen a part of the engine.
b. spanner
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom.
(United Kingdom)
Le plombier a utilisé une clef pour réparer le robinet qui fuyait.The plumber used a spanner to fix the leaking tap.
a. key
Selon le candidat présidentiel, la clef pour résoudre nos problèmes sera la communication.For the presidential candidate, the key to solving our problems will be communication.
a. key moment
La clef du roman est la chute du personnage principal à la fin.The key moment in the novel is the protagonist's downfall at the end.
a. clef
Le morceau commence par une clef de sol au début de la ligne musicale.The piece starts with a treble clef at the beginning of the musical line.
b. key
La chanson est en clef de ré majeur.The song is in the key of D major.
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., grand, petit).
adjective
a. key
Le chef d'équipe a affirmé que la persévérance est l'élément clef de notre succès.The team leader stated that perseverance is key to our success.
Examples
Machine Translators
Translate clef using machine translators
Random Word
Roll the dice and learn a new word now!
Why use the FrenchDictionary.com dictionary?

THE BEST FRENCH-ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Get More than a Translation

Get examples and pronunciations for millions of French words, English words, French phrases, and English phrases.

WRITTEN BY EXPERTS

Translate with Confidence

Access millions of accurate translations written by a team of experienced English-to-French and French-to-English translators.

FRENCH AND ENGLISH EXAMPLE SENTENCES

Learn by Example

Browse thousands of French-English example sentences throughout our dictionary.

CONNECT TO THE FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD

Express Yourself in French

Browse nuanced French-to-English and English-to-French translations and find the word you’re looking for.
Word of the Day
to boo