noun
cleric
KLEH-rihk
noun
1
A member of the clergy, such as a priest, imam, or minister.
"A local cleric organized the relief effort after the flood."
adj
1
Relating to the clergy.
"He wore cleric robes for the ceremony."
How to Use Cleric
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA general word for a religious official of any faith, not tied to one denomination.
Common mistake
Cleric and clerk come from the same Latin root but now mean very different things — don't mix them up.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
clerics plural
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A local _____ organized the relief effort after the flood.
Etymology
From Late Latin clericus, ultimately from Greek klerikos, "of the clergy," related to kleros, "a lot" (as in casting lots), since clergy were originally chosen this way.