Meanings
- not comparableOf or relating to clerks or their work.
‘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.’
1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I1 more example
"Yes," agreed Carrados, "naturally—where they make the Bank of England note paper. And how extraordinarily interesting his work there must be. Has he to do directly with the paper when it's made or is his department purely clerical?"
1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London
plural clericals
- uncommonA member of the clergy.First known use 19th c.
Synonyms: blackcoat, clergymember, clergyperson, blackcoat, cleric, clergymember, clergyperson
- in pluralinformalClerical garments.First known use 19th c.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveOf or relating to the clergy.
nounA member of the clergy.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveappropriate for or engaged in office work
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Late Latinclēricālis“clerical”
- Englishclerical
From Late Latin clēricālis (“clerical”), from clēricus (“clergyman, priest”).
More words from Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek κληρικός
- κληρικός (klērikós)of or relating to the clergy
Bulgarian канцеларски, свещенически
- канцеларски (kancelarski)of or relating to clerks or their work
- свещенически (svešteničeski)of or relating to the clergy
- духовен (duhoven)of or relating to the clergy
Catalan clerical
- clericalof or relating to the clergy
Czech úřednický, kancelářský
- úřednickýof or relating to clerks or their work
- kancelářskýof or relating to clerks or their work
- administrativníof or relating to clerks or their work
- kněžskýof or relating to the clergy
- duchovníof or relating to the clergy
- klerikálníof or relating to the clergy
Dutch administratief, klerikaal
- administratiefof or relating to clerks or their work
- klerikaalof or relating to the clergy
- geestelijkof or relating to the clergy
Finnish toimisto-, papillinen
- toimisto-of or relating to clerks or their work
- papillinenof or relating to the clergy
French administratif, clérical
- administratifof or relating to clerks or their work
- cléricalof or relating to the clergy
German klerikal, geistlich
- klerikalof or relating to the clergy
- geistlichof or relating to the clergy
- priesterlichof or relating to the clergy
Greek υπαλληλικός, γραφειοκρατικός
- υπαλληλικός (ypallilikós)of or relating to clerks or their work
- γραφειοκρατικός (grafeiokratikós)of or relating to clerks or their work
- κληρικός (klirikós)of or relating to the clergy
- ιερατικός (ieratikós)of or relating to the clergy
Irish cléireachais, cléiriúil
- cléireachaisof or relating to clerks or their work
- cléiriúilof or relating to the clergy
Italian d'ufficio, amministrativo
- d'ufficioof or relating to clerks or their work
- amministrativoof or relating to clerks or their work
- burocraticoof or relating to clerks or their work
- clericaleof or relating to the clergy
Norwegian Bokmål geistlig
- geistligof or relating to the clergy
Polish biurowy
- biurowyof or relating to clerks or their work
Portuguese clerical
- clericalof or relating to the clergy
Russian канцеля́рский, духо́вный
- канцеля́рский (kanceljárskij)of or relating to clerks or their work
- духо́вный (duxóvnyj)of or relating to the clergy
- церко́вный (cerkóvnyj)of or relating to the clergy
Scottish Gaelic clèireachail, clèireachail
- clèireachailof or relating to clerks or their work
- clèireachailof or relating to the clergy
Spanish clerical
- clericalof or relating to the clergy
Tagalog simbahanin
- simbahaninof or relating to the clergy
Welsh clerigol
- clerigolof or relating to the clergy
Yiddish קלעריקאַל
- קלעריקאַל (klerikal)of or relating to the clergy
Cite this entry
clerical. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clerical
“clerical.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clerical. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “clerical,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clerical.
Source: clerical on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.