noun
Clarissa
kluh-RIH-suh
noun
1
A nun of the Poor Clares order (a less common synonym for "Poor Clare").
"She entered the convent and became a Clarissa."
How to Use Clarissa
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly familiar today as a given name; as a common noun it can also mean a nun of the Poor Clares.
Word Forms
Clarissas plural
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She entered the convent and became a _____.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin Clarissa, related to Latin clarus, "clear, bright" — also a well-known given name, popularised by Samuel Richardson's 1748 novel Clarissa.