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 adverb

clerical

2 of 2

noun

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

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
The positions include 11 elementary school counselors, 17 exceptional service education counselors, 16 social workers, 21 clerical support assistants and 40 district management positions, according to a document provided by the school district. Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 Over the course of the episode, Matt remembers a case where he and Foggy were tasked with defending a criminal and discovered a clerical error that would result in him walking free. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026 Those unions represent school police, school clerical workers and custodial and cafeteria supervisors, among others. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026 It was founded by a number of Shi‘ite clerical groups during the Lebanese Civil War, in direct response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Callum Sutherland, Time, 10 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clerical. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster