The word "clar" is an informal word used to describe a clarinet. The spelling of this word is based on the phonetic sounds of the word "clarinet." The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is /klærəˌnɛt/. The "clar" portion of the word is pronounced as /klær/, which reflects the pronunciation of the first syllable of the word "clarinet." The final "t" sound in "clar" is often dropped in spoken English, leaving the shortened version of "clar" to be used instead.