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Definition of mclean

mclean

/məˈkleɪn/
Mc · Lean
Plural:McLeans
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mclean Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A common surname of Scottish and Irish origin.

Example

"The McLean family has deep historical roots in the Scottish Highlands."

2

American A census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, widely recognized as the location of the headquarters for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Word Nuance & Usage

As a proper noun, it is standardly capitalized as 'McLean' (or 'MacLean'), retaining the medial capital letter reflecting its Gaelic patronymic origins.

• Rhymes for mclean

• Nearby Words

mckenzie
mckenzie river
mckinley
mclean
mclean falls
mcway
mdma

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'Mac Gille Eathain', which translates to 'son of the servant of Saint John'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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