plural clergies
1
: a group ordained to perform pastoral or sacerdotal functions in a Christian church
Members of the clergy have been invited to participate in an interfaith service.
2
: the official or sacerdotal class of a non-Christian religion
Buddhist clergy
Examples of clergy in a Sentence
Local clergy have been invited to participate in an interfaith service.
a member of the clergy
Recent Examples on the Web
Last week, a video surfaced of an ICE officer who shot a member of the clergy with a pepper ball who had been outside a processing facility just outside Chicago.
—
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
The group combed through publicly available records to map out a network that captured the personal and professional relationships among the College of Cardinals (the senior clergy members who serve as both voters and candidates for the papacy).
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2025
Since its launch, the clergy and faith leader investigation has brought charges against several people, and resulted in hundreds of reports gathered from religious organizations across the state.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 9 Oct. 2025
The case, filed by journalists, media organizations, clergy and local residents, claims federal agents used tear gas, pepper balls and other force to intimidate peaceful demonstrators and reporters covering immigration enforcement operations.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clergy
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Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2025
The group combed through publicly available records to map out a network that captured the personal and professional relationships among the College of Cardinals (the senior clergy members who serve as both voters and candidates for the papacy).
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2025
Since its launch, the clergy and faith leader investigation has brought charges against several people, and resulted in hundreds of reports gathered from religious organizations across the state.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 9 Oct. 2025
The case, filed by journalists, media organizations, clergy and local residents, claims federal agents used tear gas, pepper balls and other force to intimidate peaceful demonstrators and reporters covering immigration enforcement operations.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clergy
Cite this Entry
“Clergy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clergy. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clergy
noun
cler·gy
ˈklər-jē 
plural clergies
: the group of religious officials (as priests, ministers, or rabbis) specially prepared and authorized to conduct religious services
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