clerical

[ kler-i-kuh l ]

/ ˈklɛr ɪ kəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR clerical ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, pertaining to, appropriate for, or assigned to an office clerk or clerks: a clerical job.

doing the work of a clerk or clerks: a clerical assistant; a clerical staff.

of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy or a member of the clergy: clerical garb.

advocating the power or influence of the clergy in politics, government, etc.: a clerical party.

noun

a cleric.

clericals, Informal. clerical garments.

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

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

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

Nearby words

clergy, clergyman, clergyperson, clergywoman, cleric, clerical, clerical collar, clericalism, clericals, clerihew, clerisy

Origin of clerical

1425–75 for sense “learned”; 1585–95 for def 3; late Middle English < Late Latin clēricālis, equivalent to clēric(us) cleric + -ālis -al¹

Related forms

cler·i·cal·i·ty, nouncler·i·cal·ly, adverbin·ter·cler·i·cal, adjectivenon·cler·i·cal, adjective, noun

non·cler·i·cal·ly, adverbpre·cler·i·cal, adjectivepro·cler·i·cal, adjectivepseu·do·cler·i·cal, adjectivepseu·do·cler·i·cal·ly, adverbqua·si-cler·i·cal, adjectivequa·si-cler·i·cal·ly, adverbsem·i·cler·i·cal, adjectivesem·i·cler·i·cal·ly, adverbun·cler·i·cal, adjectiveun·cler·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for clerical

Padre Goyo, with his clerical collar and his bulletproof vest, is an icon for those fighting drugs and corruption.
Mexico’s Holy Warrior Against the Cartels|Jason McGahan|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They are meant to show that the Church has adopted a new line of transparency on clerical sex abuse.
How Sicko Priests Got Away With It|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There are emails so recent, they call into question just how much of the clerical abuse is still going on.
Chicago Priests Raped and Pillaged for 50 Years|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Instead, Clohessy accuses Cardinal George and dozens of his clerical colleagues of opting to put their own reputations first.
Chicago Priests Raped and Pillaged for 50 Years|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But some reflects the impact of the ever more powerful Clerical regime, whose expansive regulatory power undermines small firms.
In the Future We'll All Be Renters: America's Disappearing Middle Class|Joel Kotkin|August 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Their leaders, both lay and clerical, were unsurpassed in genius for argument and at this time outdid themselves.
The Fathers of New England|Charles M. Andrews
If Mr. Carter did not like clerical characters of her stamp, neither did she like them of the stamp of Mr. Carter.
Castle Richmond|Anthony Trollope
The laity seized the opportunity to rise against the clerical order, and to excuse themselves for disobedience to the Church.
Freaks of Fanaticism|Sabine Baring-Gould
The military President who assumed power in 1876 was too radical to suit the clericals and too clerical to suit the radicals.
The Hispanic Nations of the New World|William R. Shepherd
Having declined, he felt that he had made a free choice of a clerical career.
Swift|Leslie Stephen

British Dictionary definitions for clerical

clerical

/ (ˈklɛrɪkəl) /

adjective

relating to or associated with the clergyclerical dress

of or relating to office clerks or their worka clerical error

supporting or advocating clericalism

Derived Forms

clerically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012