clerical

1 of 2

adjective

cler·​i·​cal ˈkler-i-kəl 

ˈkle-ri-

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy

2

: of or relating to a clerk

clerically

ˈkler-i-k(ə-)lē 

ˈkle-ri-

adverb

clerical

2 of 2

noun

1

: a member of the clergy

2

: clericalist

3

: clerk

4

clericals plural : clerical garments

Synonyms of clerical

Adjective

• ministerial
• pastoral

Noun

• priest
• preacher
• cleric

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

Adjective

Cove Gardens, where my family lived, was a sprawling red brick rental complex built after the war for the light-industrial, service, and clerical workers who were saving up for their own houses in a better area. —Chang-Rae Lee, New Yorker, 3 May 2026

The company announced Friday afternoon that clerical workers represented by United Steelworkers Local 13796 had ratified a new labor agreement, and will return to work on Tuesday. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 1 May 2026

But there also were instances, once the Tribune brought these issues to the attention of the city and the firms, in which the law firms themselves discovered clerical errors (strangely always in their favor). —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

These were not clerical errors. —Michael Carbonara, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing clerical

• clerical collar

Rhymes for clerical

• spherical
• anticlerical
• hemispherical
• chimerical
• hysterical
• numerical

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