clerk

American  

[klurk, klahrk] / klɜrk, klɑrk /

noun

1. a person employed, as in an office, to keep records, file, type, or perform other general office tasks.

2. a salesclerk.

3. a person who keeps the records and performs the routine business of a court, legislature, board, etc.

4. law clerk.

5. a member of the clergy; ecclesiastic.

6. a lay person charged with various minor ecclesiastical duties.

7. Archaic.

   1. a person who is able to read, or to read and write.

   2. a scholar.

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verb (used without object)

1. to act or serve as a clerk.

clerk British  

/ klɜːrk, klɑːk /

noun

1. a worker, esp in an office, who keeps records, files, etc

2. (in England) a legally qualified person who sits in court with lay justices to advise them on points of law

3. an employee of a court, legislature, board, corporation, etc, who keeps records and accounts, etc

   a town clerk

4. Also called: clerk of the House.  a senior official of the House of Commons

5. Also called: clerk in holy orders.  a cleric

6. short for salesclerk

7. Also called: desk clerk.  a hotel receptionist

8. archaic a scholar

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verb

1. (intr) to serve as a clerk

Other Word Forms

• clerkdom noun
• clerkish adjective
• clerklike adjective
• clerkship noun
• outclerk noun
• subclerk noun
• subclerkship noun
• underclerk noun
• underclerkship noun

Etymology

Origin of clerk

before 1000; Middle English, Old English clerc, variant of cleric < Late Latin clēricus cleric

Example Sentences

Heather Jones, Llanberis Community Council clerk, said she wanted to pass her condolences to the families of both men and paid tribute to the dedication of the search teams.

From BBC

She called newspapers seeking work and landed a job as a clerk at the Daily Mirror in Sydney before being invited to join a four-year reporter training program.

From The Wall Street Journal

She attends and drops out of college, works in a shoe store and then uses her family’s connections to get a job as a personnel clerk for Indian Railways.

From The Wall Street Journal

Among those jobs: 220 information technology support technicians, 33 parent education support assistants, 23 gardeners, five area bus supervisors, five stock clerks and three interpreters.

From Los Angeles Times

Duvall subsequently moved to New York to study acting, working as a postal clerk to make ends meet.

From BBC

Related Words

• agent
• auditor
• bookkeeper
• cashier
• employee
• operator
• receptionist
• salesperson
• secretary
• teller
• worker