Skip to content

clairon

bugle, clarion

noun kleh-ROHN Rare

Origin: from Old French clairon, from clair 'clear'

Also means

bugler

Usage Note

Clairon is a small valveless military bugle with a bright, penetrating sound, used historically to signal commands in battle. A clairon also refers to the soldier who plays it (a bugler). Sonner le clairon (to sound the bugle) is used both literally and figuratively for a rallying call.

Examples

"Le clairon sonnait à l'aube pour réveiller les soldats."

Natural Translation

The bugle sounded at dawn to wake the soldiers.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic