clerical

English

Etymology

From Late Latin clēricālis (“clerical”), from clēricus (“clergyman, priest”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈklɛɹɪkəl/ X-SAMPA: /"klErIk@l/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

clerical (not comparable)

1. of or relating to clerks or their work
   • 1899, Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, section 1

     ‘The groans of this sick person,’ he said, ‘distract my attention. And without that it is extremely difficult to guard against clerical errors in this climate.’

2. of or relating to the clergy

Derived terms

• clerical collar
• clerical marriage

Related terms

• clergy
• clergyman
• cleric
• clerk

Translations

of or relating to clerks or their work

• Bulgarian: канцеларски (bg) (kancelarski)
• Czech: úřednický (cs)
• Finnish: toimisto-
• French: clérical (fr)

• Polish: biurowy (pl) m
• Russian: канцелярский (ru) (kanceljárskij) 
• Scottish Gaelic: clèireachail (gd)

of or relating to the clergy

• Armenian: կղերական (këġerakan)
• Bulgarian: свещенически (bg) (svešteničeski), духовен (bg) (duhoven)
• Czech: kněžský (cs)
• Finnish: papillinen

• French: clérical (fr)
• German: klerikal (de), geistlich (de), priesterlich (de)
• Russian: духовный (ru) (duxóvnyj) , церковный (ru) (cerkóvnyj) 
• Scottish Gaelic: clèireachail (gd)

Noun

clerical (plural clericals)

1. A member of the clergy.

External links

• clerical in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• clerical in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911