Etymology
"Clarion" derives from three Latin words: the noun clario (trumpet), the adjective "clarus" (bright or clear), and the verb claro (to make clear). Throughout Europe, an eclectic set of variations on clarion came in to use. The meaning of these variations was not standard. It is not clear whether they are meant to refer to an actual instrument or simply the high register of the trumpet.
In France, the usage evolved into words like "clairin", "clarin", "clerain", "clerin", "clairon", "claroncel", and "claronchiel". Clairon become the most commonly used version. English variants were "claro", "clario", "clarone", "clarasius", "clarioune", "claryon" and "clarion". In Spain, the terminology became "clarín" and "clarón". Italians used "chiarina", "chiarino", and "claretto", and by 1600, they began to use "clarino" or "chlarino", which became a standard, albeit widely misunderstood, term. In Germany, the usage was "clareta", and by the middle of the 16th century, "clarin".
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