1. Partie mobile de soupape.
2. (Au figuré) (Familier) Bouche. Fermer son clapet.
ETYM Latin valva the leaf, fold, or valve of a door: cf. French valve.
1. A structure in a hollow organ (like the heart) with a flap to insure one-way flow of fluid through it.
2. Any mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid.
3. Device in a brass wind instrument for varying the length of the air column to alter the pitch of a tone.