Standard Lemma guide

clapper

name · noun · verb · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈklæpɚ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æpə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: K L AE1 P ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

One who claps; a person who applauds by clapping the hands.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An object so suspended inside a bell that it may hit the bell and cause it to ring; a clanger or tongue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A wooden mechanical device used as a scarecrow; bird-scaring rattle, a wind-rattle or a wind-clapper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A clapstick (musical instrument).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A pounding block.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, manufacturing, sewing, textiles

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The chattering damsel of a mill.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A slapshot

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: hobbies, ice-hockey, lifestyle, skating, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

The hinged part of a clapperboard, used to synchronise images and soundtrack, or the clapperboard itself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: broadcasting, cinematography, film, media, television

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

A person's tongue.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A rabbit burrow.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To ring a bell by pulling a rope attached to the clapper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To make a repetitive clapping sound; to clatter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

Of birds, to make such a noise by repeatedly striking the mandibles together.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

metal striker that hangs inside a bell and makes a sound by hitting the side

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tongue

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: striker

16

noun

Meaning 16

a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tongue, lingua, glossa

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organ, articulator

17

noun

Meaning 17

someone who applauds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: applauder

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: laudator, lauder, extoller

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English clap Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English clapper From clap + -er.

Borrowed from French clapier.

Across languages

Translations

65 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: լեզվակ (lezvak) — the tongue of a bell
  • Armenian: զանգալեզվակ (zangalezvak) — the tongue of a bell
  • Breton: bazhoulenn — the tongue of a bell
  • Bulgarian: ези́к (ezík) — the tongue of a bell
  • Catalan: batall — the tongue of a bell
  • Czech: srdce zvonu — the tongue of a bell
  • Czech: srdce — the tongue of a bell
  • Dutch: klepel — the tongue of a bell
  • Dutch: bengel — the tongue of a bell
  • Esperanto: koro — the tongue of a bell
  • Finnish: kieli — the tongue of a bell
  • French: batail — the tongue of a bell
  • French: battant — the tongue of a bell
  • Friulian: batocj — the tongue of a bell
  • Friulian: banducel — the tongue of a bell
  • Galician: badalo — the tongue of a bell
  • Galician: batel — the tongue of a bell
  • Gallurese: battaddólu — the tongue of a bell
  • German: Klöppel — the tongue of a bell
  • German: Schwengel — the tongue of a bell
  • German: Challe — the tongue of a bell
  • Hebrew: עִנְבָּל (inbal) — the tongue of a bell
  • Hungarian: harangnyelv — the tongue of a bell
  • Icelandic: kólfur — the tongue of a bell
  • Irish: boschrann — the tongue of a bell
  • Irish: teanga cloig — the tongue of a bell
  • Italian: battaglio — the tongue of a bell
  • Italian: batacchio — the tongue of a bell
  • Persian: جرس (jaras) — the tongue of a bell
  • Polish: serce — the tongue of a bell
  • Portuguese: badalo — the tongue of a bell
  • Romanian: limbă — the tongue of a bell
  • Russian: язы́к — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: batazu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: batarzu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: batalzu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: batàgliu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: antarzu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: entazu — the tongue of a bell
  • Campidanese Sardinian: tratallu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: battazu — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: piròne — the tongue of a bell
  • Sardinian: limbèddu — the tongue of a bell
  • Lower Sorbian: palica — the tongue of a bell
  • Spanish: badajo — the tongue of a bell
  • Swedish: kläpp — the tongue of a bell
  • Venetan: batocio — the tongue of a bell
  • Venetan: batòcolo — the tongue of a bell
  • Venetan: batòc — the tongue of a bell
  • Venetan: batidor — the tongue of a bell
  • Venetan: batibèƚo — the tongue of a bell
  • Walloon: bata — the tongue of a bell
  • Bulgarian: кречетало (krečetalo) — rattle
  • Czech: řehtačka — rattle
  • Czech: klapačka — rattle
  • Dutch: ratel — rattle
  • Dutch: klapper — rattle
  • Dutch: klepper — rattle
  • Finnish: räikkä — rattle
  • Ancient Greek: κρέμβαλα (krémbala) — rattle
  • Hungarian: kereplő — rattle
  • Hungarian: szélkelep — rattle
  • Māori: ngutu rakiraki — rattle
  • Māori: pākōkō — rattle
  • Russian: трещо́тка (treščótka) — rattle