A piece of evidence or information that helps solve a problem or mystery.
Literal older meaning
a ball of thread or yarn
Language path
Germanic → Old English → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
clew
Earliest period
Early English
Journey
Clue is a spelling variant of clew, an old word for a ball of thread. The image of thread guiding someone through a maze helped the word develop its figurative meaning: something that helps you find the way to an answer.
Evolution
Early English
clew
“a ball of thread”
Figurative use
clew
“a guide through a difficult path”
Modern English
clue
“a piece of information that helps solve something”
