clerk

clerk · noun, verb¹

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromκληρικός“of the clergy”
2. Late Latin · derived fromclēricus“priest, clergyman, cleric”, also generally “learned man, clerk”
3. Old English · inherited fromclerc
4. Middle English · inherited fromclerc
5. English todayclerk

From Middle English clerc, from Old English clerc, from Late Latin clēricus (“priest, clergyman, cleric”, also generally “learned man, clerk”), from Ancient Greek κληρικός (klērikós, “of the clergy”, adj. in church jargon), from κλῆρος (klêros, “lot, inheritance”, originally “shard used in casting lots”). Doublet of cleric. Compare typologically Russian дьяк (dʹjak) (akin to дья́кон (dʹjákon)).

Clerk · proper noun²

Derived from the noun clerk

Words from the same roots