- claim
- c.1300, from O.Fr. clamer "to call, claim," from L. clamare "to cry out, shout," from PIE *kele- "to shout," onomatopoeic (cf. Skt. usakala "cock," lit. "dawn-calling;" L. calare "to announce solemnly, call out;" M.Ir. cailech "cock;" Gk. kaleo "to call," kelados "noise," kledon "report, fame;" O.H.G. halan "to call;" O.E. hlowan "to low, make a noise like a cow;" Lith. kalba "language"). The noun meaning "piece of land allotted and taken" (chiefly U.S. and Australia, in reference to mining) is from 1851. Claim properly should not stray too far from its true meaning of "to demand recognition of a right." Insurance sense is from 1878.