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clos

clos

9.9
A narrow passage from a street that leads to houses
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : callejón
  • Tourists admired the historic clos that led to hidden courtyards in Edinburgh.

Examples

  • The old tenement building was reached by a narrow clos off the main street.

  • Children played in the clos while their parents chatted nearby.

  • The quaint clos was filled with charming houses.

  • She lives at the end of the clos.

  • The old tenement building was reached by a narrow clos off the main street.

  • Children played in the clos while their parents chatted nearby.

  • Tourists admired the historic clos that led to hidden courtyards in Edinburgh.

Synonyms

alley
vsclos
349 1.0

A narrow street between buildings, often behind shops or houses

is used for housing access specifically not just any narrow street
alleyway
vsclos
37 2.7

A narrow passage between buildings, often behind them

is mainly a residential shared entry rather than any walled thoroughfare
entryway
vsclos
18 2.6

A small area inside a building next to the front door where people enter

is specifically a narrow shared outdoor residential access not interior hall
pend
vsclos
  • UK
11 9.9

A covered passage through a building that leads to a courtyard

is an open residential access rather than a covered internal passage
laneway
vsclos
  • UK
1 4.4

A narrow passage between buildings in a town or city

is more often a shared residential entry rather than a small town road
hutong
vsclos
1 9.1

A narrow street in old Chinese neighborhoods, especially in Beijing

is a Scottish residential entry not a region-specific Chinese street
snicket
vsclos
  • UK
1 9.9

A narrow passage between buildings that people use as a shortcut

is Scottish residential access rather than an England regional term

How Narrow

clos
  • UK
9.9
entryway
18 2.6
alley
349 1.0
lane
405 1.0
street
1.0

Surface Forms

clos singular
closes plural

Etymology

Clos comes from French clos, from Latin clausum meaning 'closed', and is like the English word close ('shut'). So imagine a small 'closed-in' lane off the main street that leads to houses, which is why clos means a narrow passage to homes.