Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A stout aromatic Mediterranean herb (Salvia sclarea) in the mint family, having showy violet, pink, or white flower clusters and yielding an essential oil used as a flavoring and in perfumery.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A plant of the genus Salvia or sage, Salvia Sclarea.
  • noun In the West Indies, Heliotropium Indicum.
  • noun Wine mixed with honey and spices, and afterward strained until it is clear.
  • To make a loud or shrill noise.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb obsolete To make a loud or shrill noise.
  • noun (Bot.) A plant (Salvia sclarea) of the Sage family, used in flavoring soups.
  • noun a composition of clary flowers with brandy, etc., formerly used as a cardiac.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun aromatic herb of southern Europe; cultivated in Great Britain as a potherb and widely as an ornamental

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English clare, from Medieval Latin sclarea and from Old English slaria.]

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Examples

  • The plant is a relative of mint, thyme and lavender and has its own aromatic leaves that were used as a gargle for sore throats and for treating sore eyes – the name clary comes from "clear-eye".

    Plantwatch: a sight for sore eyes 2011

  • Another plant in bloom is meadow clary, its clusters of gorgeous violet-blue flowers standing high on tall spikes.

    Plantwatch: a sight for sore eyes 2011

  • In L'Eau $150, barneys.com , Serge Lutens brings a mere three notes together—white mint, clary sage and magnolia.

    We All Need a Hint of Mint Aleksandra Crapanzano 2011

  • A conservation project by the charity Plantlife has now resurrected meadow clary by grazing fields all year round, keeping tall grasses at bay and allowing the plant to thrive.

    Plantwatch: a sight for sore eyes 2011

  • Rosemary, peony, clary sage and white musk give it dimension.

    Orange Blossoms Aleksandra Crapanzano 2011

  • Meadow clary – clusters of violet-blue flowers standing high on tall spikes.

    Plantwatch: a sight for sore eyes 2011

  • Others seem more far-fetched: hart's tongue apparently promotes chastity; wild clary prevents envy.

    Welsh villagers market Myddfai as mecca for herbal remedies 2010

  • Soothing music and aroma therapies are helpful as well, choosing scents that are traditionally known to help negative energies to keep clearing: orange bergamot, camphor, clary sage, peppermint, clove bud and wintergreen are among these.

    Deepak Chopra: Breaking the Cycle of Anxiety 2010

  • That was back in the days when she still wore French perfume and brands you could buy at the chemist, before she switched to jasmine oil and clary sage.

    The Legacy Kirsten Tranter 2010

  • Soothing music and aroma therapies are helpful as well, choosing scents that are traditionally known to help negative energies to keep clearing: orange bergamot, camphor, clary sage, peppermint, clove bud and wintergreen are among these.

    Deepak Chopra: Breaking the Cycle of Anxiety 2010

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  • Usage/historical note in comment on langdebeef.

    January 18, 2017