Claret, or clairet, a diminutive of clair, bright, transparent. By this name is generally understood an infusion of aromatic powders in wine, which is afterwards edulcorated with sugar and honey. This sort of liquor is also called vinum Hippo-craticum, and by the Germans Hippocras; because when the infusion is finished, it is strained through a filter, styled Hippocrates's sleeve. It is prepared of various ingredients, according to the intentions of the prescriber. Claretum purgatoriumis mentioned by Schroeder, and is a vinous infusion of glass of antimony in cinnamon water with sugar.

Extemporaneous clarets are made by pouring into those wines a small quantity of tincture, according to the intention, made with spirit of wine, which was formerly kept under the name of the tincture of claret. Of this kind is an extemporaneous mulled wine, made with the vinous tincture of cinnamon and port wine, sweetened with fine sugar. It is also a name given by the French to such of their red wines as are not of a deep or high colour. See Vinum.