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Definition of clarissa

clarissa

/kləˈrɪs.ə/
Cla · ris · sa
Plural:Clarissas
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clarissa Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A female given name of Latin origin meaning 'bright', 'clear', or 'famous'.

Example

"Clarissa was invited to give the keynote address at the annual literature conference."

2

American A small city located in Todd County in central Minnesota, United States.

• Rhymes for clarissa

• Nearby Words

clarify
clarinet
clarinetist
clarissa
clarity
clark
clarke

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Italian and Medieval Latin Clarissa, derived from the Late Latin feminine name Claritia ('brightness' or 'fame'), from Latin clarus ('bright, clear, famous'). Its usage in English was popularized by Samuel Richardson's 1748 novel Clarissa.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Clarissa. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/clarissa
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