Meaning & use
clerical collar
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A stiff white band with a tab or two points at the front, worn around the neck by some Christian priests and ministers.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a clerical collar' or 'clerical collars'.
Patterns
- wear a clerical collar
- a clerical collar and black shirt
The new vicar always wears a clerical collar, even when he is not in church.
She removed her clerical collar and hung it on the hook after the service.
In some denominations, a clerical collar is optional for everyday wear.
Word forms
| plural | clerical collars |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a clerical collar
- He wears a clerical collar when visiting the sick.
- remove a clerical collar
- She removed her clerical collar and changed into casual clothes.
- a clerical collar and black shirt
- The uniform is a clerical collar and black shirt.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dog collar
- Informal and sometimes humorous; it can also mean a collar for a dog, so context is important.
- Roman collar
- A more specific term, often used for the collar worn by Roman Catholic priests.
Word family
Commonly confused: clerical collar or clerical error?
clerical collar vs clerical error
A clerical error is a mistake made in office work, not a piece of clothing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'clerical collar' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A clerical collar is a piece of clothing worn by clergy, so 'adjusted his clerical collar' fits. The other options confuse it with office work or a physical object.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “clerical collar”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.