From Old English 'claene' (pure, bright) — German took the same root toward 'klein' (small), a dramatic divergence.
Free from dirt, marks, or stains; morally pure; free from irregularities; complete and thorough.
From Old English 'clǣne' meaning 'free from dirt, pure, clear, innocent,' from Proto-Germanic *klainiz meaning 'clear, pure.' The word is related to Old High German 'kleini' (delicate, fine, small) and Middle High German 'klein' (small, fine, delicate). The semantic path diverged remarkably: in English, *klainiz developed toward 'pure, free from dirt