Klirr

Klirr is a term found in Nordic languages, particularly Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian, with two principal senses. First, it functions as an onomatopoeia for the sound of glass, bottles, or ice clinking together—a crisp, high-pitched noise often described as klirr. Second, the word is used colloquially to refer to carbonated beverages or the fizz produced by carbonation. In everyday speech, klirr can evoke freshness and coldness, and it is frequently encountered in informal descriptions of drinks and glassware.

The semantic link between the two meanings rests on the perceptual cue of sound; the fizzy action of carbonation is associated with the audible clink of glass and the shimmering effervescence. In marketing, klirr is employed to suggest crispness, sparkle, and refreshment; brands in Sweden and Denmark have used the term or its suggestive imagery in advertising for soft drinks and mineral water.

In literature and media, klirr as onomatopoeia appears to convey sounds of clinking or breaking glass, sometimes used to heighten sensory detail. While the word is well understood in Nordic languages, it is not a technical term in chemistry or beverage manufacturing.

See also: Onomatopoeia in Nordic languages; Carbonated water; Soft drink.