clerk

noun

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\ ˈklərk

, British usually ˈklärk

\

Definition of clerk

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : cleric

2 archaic : scholar

3a : an official responsible (as to a government agency) for correspondence, records, and accounts and vested with specified powers or authority (as to issue writs as ordered by a court) city clerk

b : one employed to keep records or accounts or to perform general office work a bank clerk

c : one who works at a sales or service counter a store clerk a grocery clerk

d : a person (such as a law school graduate) who provides a judge, magistrate, or lawyer with assistance in such matters as research, writing, and analysis : law clerk

clerk

verb

clerked; clerking; clerks

Definition of clerk (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to act or work as a clerk clerked for a court judge

Other Words from clerk Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about clerk

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Examples of clerk in a Sentence

Noun Have the court clerk file your request with the judge. He works as a clerk in a local pet store. a sales clerk at a women's clothing store

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Inside, a sales clerk stopped me to ask me who my jacket was designed by. — Connie Wang, refinery29.com, "RIP To Opening Ceremony, A Store That Taught Us How To Find Ourselves," 15 Jan. 2020 Multiple lawsuits were filed by county clerks that were later dismissed, and others questioned the legality of the provision, including President Donald Trump's Department of Justice. — Kellie Hwang, Indianapolis Star, "Bill would allow Indiana residents in the country illegally to apply for driver's cards," 15 Jan. 2020 Scrooge’s grouchy banter with his clerk Bob Cratchit (Dashiell Eaves) and his subsequent journey into darkness and then light is staged on a single set, in two one-hour acts. — Kyle Smith, National Review, "A Joyous Christmas Carol on Broadway," 14 Dec. 2019 Voters who are removed from the voter rolls, whether correctly or mistakenly, can regain the ability to cast ballots by re-registering online, at their clerk's office or at the polls on election day. — Bruce Vielmetti, USA TODAY, "Judge orders 234,000 purged from Wisconsin voter rolls," 14 Dec. 2019 The ballot lottery was held Monday morning and conducted by Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough and her deputy clerk, Edmund Michalowski. — Lolly Bowean, chicagotribune.com, "Lottery decides Kim Foxx will top the list of candidates seeking Cook County state’s attorney nomination; order of other races also randomly picked," 9 Dec. 2019 In the vignette that follows, a black woman visits Burger King where her interactions with its white clerk quickly turn edgy and absurd. Geneva Brown (Gray) orders a parfait. — Lisa Kennedy, The Know, "Racism, white fragility and cluelessness: “Flame Broiled. or the ugly play” tackles it all," 2 Nov. 2019 The convenience-store clerk at the campground said that in summertime their flocks darken the sky. — Nell Zink, Harper's magazine, "The Bird Angle," 28 Oct. 2019 The clerk at the checkout says that the store’s owner installed WiFi because a lot of folks in town have it anyway and no one yet has asked them to turn it off. — Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics, "WiFi Is Illegal in This American Town. (And Yes, People Actually Live There.)," 28 Oct. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The city clerks would file the ordinance with the county clerks in Benton and Washington counties, who then would notify the election commissions, said George Spence, the attorney representing Benton County. — Laurinda Joenks, Arkansas Online, "Residents ask for vote to consolidate Bethel Heights into Springdale," 22 Dec. 2019 Once one of Rehnquist's law clerks at the high court, Roberts could be juggling the same two jobs as his former boss soon. — Richard Wolf, USA TODAY, "Impeachment: Chief Justice John Roberts would be the 'umpire' in Senate trial of President Trump," 29 May 2019 Judges don’t make policy.’’ Thirty-three lawyers clerked for him during his years as a judge and many remained friends. — BostonGlobe.com, "James Robertson, federal judge who took stand against warrantless surveillance, dies at 81 - The Boston Globe," 24 Sep. 2019 Judge Larsen clerked for former Justice Antonin Scalia and has praised his by-the-letter reading of the Constitution and the law. — New York Times, "The Front-Runners and Full List of Potential Supreme Court Nominees," 27 June 2018 Sneak soon joined the legion of Gramaphone employees who clerked by day, and spun at clubs by night. — Allison Stewart, chicagotribune.com, "It’s been 50 years of thumping, bumping and setting the dance scene for the iconic North Side Gramaphone Records," 14 Nov. 2019 Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy, for whom Gorsuch clerked, are among them. — Leslie Southwick, National Review, "A Republic, If You Can Keep It," 17 Sep. 2019 Walker also clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Anthony Kennedy. — Morgan Watkins, The Courier-Journal, "Senate confirms Louisville's Justin Walker as federal judge despite unqualified rating," 24 Oct. 2019 Though his father, originally from Grand Rapids, had clerked for Justice Holmes, Mac’s real pedigree was on his mother’s side: her descent from the Lowells. — Doug Henwood, Harper's magazine, "To Serve Is to Rule," 28 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clerk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

20 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Clerk.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clerk. Accessed 29 January 2020.

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More Definitions for clerk

clerk

noun

English Language Learners Definition of clerk

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a person whose job is to keep track of records and documents for a business or office

: an elected or appointed official whose job is to take care of official papers and business for a court or government

: a person who works in a store

clerk

verb

English Language Learners Definition of clerk (Entry 2 of 2)

US : to work as a clerk

See the full definition for clerk in the English Language Learners Dictionary

clerk

noun

\ ˈklərk

\

Kids Definition of clerk

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a person whose job is to keep records or accounts

2 : a salesperson in a store

clerk

verb

clerked; clerking

Kids Definition of clerk (Entry 2 of 2)

: to act or work as a clerk

clerk

noun

\ ˈklərk

\

Medical Definition of clerk

: a third- or fourth-year medical student undergoing clinical training in a clerkship

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clerk

noun

Legal Definition of clerk

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an official responsible (as to a court) for correspondence, records, and accounts and having specified powers or authority (as to issue writs) a city clerk clerk of court

2a : a person employed to keep records or accounts or to perform general office work

b : a person (as a law student or graduate) employed by an attorney or judge to assist with case-related tasks (as research) — compare paralegal

clerk

intransitive verb

Legal Definition of clerk (Entry 2 of 2)

: to act or work as a clerk clerked for a Supreme Court justice

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