clerical

1 of 2

adjective

cler·​i·​cal ˈkler-i-kəl How to pronounce clerical (audio)
ˈkle-ri-
Synonyms of clericalnext
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy
2
: of or relating to a clerk
clerically
ˈkler-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce clerical (audio)
ˈkle-ri-
adverb

clerical

2 of 2

noun

1
: a member of the clergy
2
: clericalist
3
: clerk
4
clericals plural : clerical garments

Synonyms of clerical

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Adjective

Noun

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Examples of clerical in a Sentence

Adjective She spent the summer doing clerical work for a lawyer. a member of our clerical staff The mistake was due to a clerical error. Noun some of the state's most prominent clericals have spoken out against the measure
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Same-day voter registration, however, is not available in more than half of the country, and provisional voting comes with a risk of not getting counted because of clerical errors. — Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 1 July 2026 Before joining Avanti West Coast, Carpenter spent two decades working in clerical roles for the Royal Mail. — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026 Due to a clerical error by the studio, Hamm was submitted in the guest actor in a drama series category for his performance as Paul Marks in the show’s fourth season. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 16 June 2026 This swept away Iran’s monarchy and birthed a state that is part theocracy, part republic, with a handful of semi-democratic institutions swaddled by a system that is ultimately clerical. — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clerical

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clerical was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing clerical

Rhymes for clerical

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Browse Nearby Words

cleric
clerical
clerical collar
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Cite this Entry

“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clerical. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

clerical

adjective
cler·​i·​cal
ˈkler-i-kəl
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy
2
: of or relating to a clerk or office worker
clerically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on clerical

Nglish: Translation of clerical for Spanish Speakers

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