clerical

American  

[kler-i-kuhl] / ˈklɛr ɪ kəl /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, appropriate for, or assigned to an office clerk or clerks.

   a clerical job.

2. doing the work of a clerk or clerks.

   a clerical assistant;

   a clerical staff.

3. of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy or a member of the clergy.

   clerical garb.

4. advocating the power or influence of the clergy in politics, government, etc..

   a clerical party.

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noun

1. a cleric.

2. Informal. clericals, clerical garments.

3. a person or a party advocating the power or influence of the church in politics, government, etc.

4. a person who does clerical work; office worker; clerk.

5. Also called clerical error.  a minor error, as in the keeping of records, the transcribing of documents, or the handling of correspondence.

clerical British  

/ ˈklɛrɪkəl /

adjective

1. relating to or associated with the clergy

   clerical dress

2. of or relating to office clerks or their work

   a clerical error

3. supporting or advocating clericalism

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Other Word Forms

• clericality noun
• clerically adverb
• interclerical adjective
• nonclerical adjective
• nonclerically adverb
• preclerical adjective
• proclerical adjective
• pseudoclerical adjective
• pseudoclerically adverb
• quasi-clerical adjective
• quasi-clerically adverb
• semiclerical adjective
• semiclerically adverb
• unclerical adjective
• unclerically adverb

Etymology

Origin of clerical

1425–75 for sense “learned”; 1585–95 clerical for def. 3; late Middle English < Late Latin clēricālis, equivalent to clēric ( us ) cleric + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

Before Khomenei, respected Shiite clerics had shunned the idea of clerical rule.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most campaigns aim for a minimum of 1.3 million, assuming some will be discarded for clerical reasons, including people who signed the same petition twice or aren’t registered to vote in California.

From The Wall Street Journal

A new study found that AI has not caused broad job losses so far, but that companies are more likely to say they plan to cut clerical workers than technical ones.

From The Wall Street Journal

A new study finds little evidence of broad job losses from AI—but a clear shift away from clerical roles and toward technical ones.

From The Wall Street Journal

A survey of chief financial officers found AI will primarily displace workers in routine, clerical and administrative roles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ecclesiastical
• ministerial
• monastic
• pastoral
• rabbinical