What does clevis mean?
A clevis is a U-shaped piece of metal hardware with a hole drilled through each of its two parallel arms, designed to receive a pin or bolt that secures it to another part. This simple geometry makes the clevis one of the most widely used connectors in mechanical engineering: it links brake linkages, control rods, tow bars, chains, and countless other components where a pivoting or removable joint is needed. The word belongs chiefly to technical registers — mechanics, machinists, riggers, and pilots encounter it daily, while most laypeople know the object without knowing its name. It almost always appears alongside its partner, the clevis pin, which slips through the arms and is often secured with a cotter pin. Compact, strong, and easy to disassemble, the clevis exemplifies how a plain forged shape can solve a fundamental problem of machine design.
nounA U-shaped metal fitting with holes at each end of the arms, through which a pin or bolt is passed to attach it to another component, used chiefly in rigging, machinery, and vehicle hitches.
- A U-shaped metal fastener with holes in its two arms for a pin or bolt, used to connect rods, chains, or other components in machinery and rigging.
- By extension, the assembly of such a fitting together with its retaining pin (as in 'a clevis and pin').
"The mechanic replaced the worn clevis pin before reattaching the trailer's brake linkage."
"Inspect the clevis on the control rod for signs of wear before every flight."
"He threaded the cotter pin through the clevis to lock the linkage in place."
Regular plural; occasionally written 'clevis pins' when referring to multiple complete assemblies.
"The kit includes assorted clevises and matching pins in several sizes."
That humble U-shaped bracket holding your trailer hitch together has been quietly doing its job since at least the age of horse-drawn carriages.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clevis
The word 'clevis' entered English in the early modern period, first attested around the seventeenth century. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, though it is often connected by scholars to the verb 'cleave' (from Old English clēofan, 'to split'), perhaps because the fitting resembles a split or forked end of a bar. The term became established in the vocabulary of carriage-making and later of general engineering as metal hardware standardized in the industrial era.
How clevis is actually used
A technical term used mainly by engineers, mechanics, riggers, and hardware suppliers rather than in everyday speech. In American usage it appears frequently in automotive, agricultural, aviation, and towing contexts; British English more often uses 'shackle' or 'fork end' for comparable fittings.
Easily confused with clevis
Though both begin with 'clev-', cleavage refers to splitting or a sharp division (as in rock strata or geology), while a clevis is a U-shaped metal fastening hardware.