First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
clergy
noun cler·gy \ˈklər-jē\
: people (such as priests) who are the leaders of a religion and who perform religious services
plural clergies
Full Definition of CLERGY
1
: a group ordained to perform pastoral or sacerdotal functions in a Christian church
2
: the official or sacerdotal class of a non-Christian religion
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Origin of CLERGY
Middle English clergie, from Anglo-French, from clerc clergyman
Related to CLERGY
- Synonyms
- church, cloth, first estate, ministry, spirituality, spiritualty
- Antonyms
- laity
Other Christian Religious Terms
CLERGY Defined for Kids
clergy
noun cler·gy \ˈklər-jē\
plural clergies
Definition of CLERGY for Kids
: the group of religious officials (as priests, ministers, and rabbis) specially prepared and authorized to lead religious services
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