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Perfect Stranger Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary

[clement] used or not?

Dear Users,

Is the word clement often used? The word is supposed to describe a mild and merciful disposition of character... or to describe the weather as in mild or temperate weather. I have never really heard that word being used, though...

Thanks
  

Top answer

It's not unknown but it isn't common. Inclement is a little more common; it is sometimes encountered in reference to the effect that bad weather might have on some event.

— Blue Jay

  • It's not unknown but it isn't common.
  • Inclement is a little more common; it is sometimes encountered in reference to the effect that bad weather might have on some event.
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4 Answers
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It's not unknown but it isn't common. Inclement is a little more common; it is sometimes encountered in reference to the effect that bad weather might have on some event.
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I'm a native English speaker in the US and this is the first time in my life I've seen this word - I had to look up the meaning. I would say that it is never used in the US today. (However, the man's first name, "Clement," is heard here.)

And the word "inclement" is very often heard here, almost exclusively in the phrase "inclement weather."
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Thank you.

I find it very difficult to use words that are not commonly used, or even heard of...
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Perfect StrangerI find it very difficult to use words that are not commonly used, or even heard of...
That's true for native speakers.

Inclement is common; clement exists, but I've never heard it used. Clemency is also common.

Here's a description from the on-line etymology dictionary.
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