clerk

noun \ ˈklərk , British usually ˈklärk \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

Definition of clerk

1 : cleric

2 archaic : scholar

3 a : 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

—

clerkship

play \-ˌship\ noun

See clerk defined for English-language learners

See clerk defined for kids

Examples of clerk in a Sentence

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 of clerk from the Web

Shunya Togashi, a staff member of the New York City clerk’s office, officiated.

— New York Times, "Danielle Wainer, Paolo Di Marco," 8 July 2018
In May, the Yakima County Superior Court judges ordered Janelle Riddle to obtain an additional $200,000 in bonding after a state audit report found more than $13,000 unaccounted for in the clerk’s office in 2017.

— donald w. meyers, The Seattle Times, "State Supreme Court weighs in on Yakima County clerk’s legal fight to keep her job," 6 July 2018
With recent improvements including a new finance system and Odyssey in the clerk’s office and courts, Pearman said something stricter was needed.

— craig lyons, Post-Tribune, "Lake County moves to limit employees' internet use," 6 July 2018
Late last month, the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee voted 7-0 in favor of the proposal, according to the clerk’s office.

— john hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, "Newton considers shared parking plan," 2 July 2018
Voters may register by mail or in person at their county, city or township clerk office, or by visiting any Secretary of State office.

— paul egan, Detroit Free Press, "Voters must register by July 9 for Michigan's Aug. 7 primary election," 2 July 2018
In December, her budget was cut by a third in another 2-1 vote by the commission, forcing her to fire two employees in the clerk’s office.

— kelsey ryan, kansascity, "Record tampering, retaliation, $600 coffeepots. What's going on in Clay Co. government?," 11 June 2018
Around midday, marriages were delayed after a shoe mysteriously flew from the fourth-floor balcony; for a spell, the corridor outside the county clerk’s office grew crowded with anxious couples and their crews.

— San Francisco Chronicle, "Rakhi Patel & Heren Patel,," 2 June 2018
Davis, a Christian who attends an Apostolic church, has worked in the clerk’s office since 1988.

— Washington Post, "Gay Kentucky man loses bid to challenge GOP clerk Kim Davis," 22 May 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of clerk

Middle English, from Anglo-French clerk & Old English cleric, clerc, both from Late Latin clericus, from Late Greek klērikos, from Greek klēros lot, inheritance (in allusion to Deuteronomy 18:2), stick of wood; akin to Greek klan to break — more at clast

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

clerk Synonyms

Other Job Terms

factotum, milliner, ostler, scrivener, tinker, webster, wordsmith

clerk

verb

Definition of clerk

clerked; clerking; clerks

intransitive verb

: to act or work as a clerk

clerked for a court judge

See clerk defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of clerk from the Web

Azar, who once clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, has spent a large chunk of his career in the healthcare industry.

— bradford betz, Fox News, "HHS departures signal new secretary's 'no-nonsense' approach: report," 14 July 2018
Kavanaugh once clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, whose retirement at the end of the month created the vacancy that Kavanaugh hopes to fill.

— daniela altimari, courant.com, "Who Is Brett Kavanaugh? The Yale Grad Is Trump's Second Supreme Court Pick," 10 July 2018
Kavanaugh also worked in the solicitor general’s office during the George H.W. Bush administration and clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy.

— refinery29.com, "Meet Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's Supreme Court Nominee," 10 July 2018
Two of the reported finalists for his seat, Kavanaugh and Kethledge, once clerked for Kennedy.

— bob egelko, SFChronicle.com, "Trump to announce Supreme Court nominee Monday evening," 10 July 2018
After earning undergraduate and law degrees from Yale, Kavanaugh clerked for Justice Kennedy.

— celeste katz, Glamour, "What Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination Could Mean for Your Abortion Rights," 9 July 2018
Like Kavanaugh, 51-year-old Kethledge clerked for Kennedy.

— CBS News, "Judge Brett Kavanaugh named Trump's second Supreme Court justice - live updates," 9 July 2018
Kavanaugh, who clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court justice who is retiring, had also worked for independent counsel Kenneth Starr.

— monique o. madan, miamiherald, "New Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh has ties to big Florida moments," 9 July 2018
The fact that Kavanaugh clerked for Kennedy probably won't help on that front.

— aaron blake, Washington Post, "The best argument for and against each Trump Supreme Court candidate," 5 July 2018

Origin and Etymology of clerk

see ¹clerk

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1551

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

CLERK Defined for English Language Learners

clerk

noun

Definition of clerk for English Language Learners

: 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

Definition of clerk for English Language Learners

: to work as a clerk

CLERK Defined for Kids

clerk

noun \ ˈklərk \

Definition of clerk for Students

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

2 : a salesperson in a store

clerk

verb

Definition of clerk for Students

clerked; clerking

: to act or work as a clerk

Medical Dictionary

clerk

noun \ ˈklərk \

medical Definition of clerk

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

—

clerk

intransitive verb

Law Dictionary

clerk

noun

legal Definition of clerk

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

2 a : 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

—

clerkship

noun

clerk

intransitive verb

legal Definition of clerk

: to act or work as a clerk

clerked for a Supreme Court justice

Learn More about clerk

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for clerk Spanish Central: Translation of clerk Nglish: Translation of clerk for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of clerk for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up clerk? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

clerk

Definition of clerk

clerkship

Examples of clerk in a Sentence

Recent Examples of clerk from the Web

Origin and Etymology of clerk

clerk Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Other Job Terms

clerk

Definition of clerk

Recent Examples of clerk from the Web

Origin and Etymology of clerk

CLERK Defined for English Language Learners

clerk

Definition of clerk for English Language Learners

clerk

Definition of clerk for English Language Learners

CLERK Defined for Kids

clerk

Definition of clerk for Students

clerk

Definition of clerk for Students

Medical Dictionary

clerk

medical Definition of clerk

clerk

Law Dictionary

clerk

legal Definition of clerk

clerkship

clerk

legal Definition of clerk

Learn More about clerk

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The Good, The Bad, & The Semantically Imprecise - 8/17/2018

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

9 Words for Places People Call "Home"

Trending: Brennan: Trump's Claims are 'Hogwash'

Ghost Word