clerical

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: cler=i=cal

CIDE DICTIONARY

clerical, a. [LL. clericalis. See Clerk.].

•  Of or pertaining to the clergy; suitable for the clergy.  Burke.  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or relating to a clerk or copyist, or to writing.  E. Everett.  [1913 Webster]
•  characteristic of the work performed by a clerk, secretary, or copyist, or suitable to be performed by a clerk.  [PJC]

A clerical error, an error made in copying or writing.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

clerical, adj.
1 of the clergy or clergymen.
2 of or done by a clerk or clerks.

Idiom

clerical collar a stiff upright white collar fastening at the back, as worn by the clergy in some Churches. clerical error an error made in copying or writing out.

Derivative

clericalism n. clericalist n. clerically adv.

Etymology

eccl.L clericalis (as CLERIC)

THESAURUS

clerical

abbatial, abbatical, accounting, apostolic, archiepiscopal, bookkeeping, canonical, capitular, capitulary, churchly, churchman, cleric, clerk, divine, ecclesiastic, ecclesiastical, episcopal, episcopalian, evangelistic, hieratic, minister, ministerial, monastic, office, papal, parson, pastoral, pontifical, preacher, prelatial, prelatic, priest-ridden, priestish, priestly, professional, rabbinic, reverend, sacerdotal, secretarial, stenographic, ultramontane

ROGET THESAURUS

clerical

Churchdom

N church, churchdom, ministry, apostleship, priesthood, prelacy, hierarch, church government, christendom, pale of the church, clericalism, sacerdotalism, episcopalianism, ultramontanism, theocracy, ecclesiology, ecclesiologist, priestcraft, odium theologicum, monachism, monachy, monasticism, monkhood, pontificate, primacy, archbishopric, archiepiscopacy, prelacy, bishopric, bishopdom, episcopate, episcopacy, see, diocese, deanery, stall, canonry, canonicate, prebend, prebendaryship, benefice, incumbency, glebe, advowson, living, cure, rectorship, vicariate, vicarship, deaconry, deaconship, curacy, chaplain, chaplaincy, chaplainship, cardinalate, cardinalship, abbacy, presbytery, holy orders, ordination, institution, consecration, induction, reading in, preferment, translation, presentation, popedom, the Vatican, the apostolic see, religious sects, council, conclave, convocation, synod, consistory, chapter, vestry, sanhedrim, conge d'elire, ecclesiastical courts, consistorial court, court of Arches, ecclesiastical, ecclesiological, clerical, sacerdotal, priestly, prelatical, pastoral, ministerial, capitular, theocratic, hierarchical, archiepiscopal, episcopal, episcopalian, canonical, monastic, monachal, monkish, abbatial, abbatical, Anglican, pontifical, papal, apostolic, Roman, Popish, ultramontane, priest-ridden.