Meaning & use

clerical

adjective·Academic

Last updated

Relating to routine office work such as filing, typing, and record-keeping, or relating to the clergy.

See it in a sentence

She was hired to handle clerical duties like scheduling and data entry.

The bishop wore traditional clerical robes during the ceremony.

A note on using this word

Has two unrelated meanings—office administration and religious clergy—that come from the same historical root, since clergy once handled most written record-keeping.

Words with a similar meaning

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Another way to use it

2. adjective

Relating to the clergy or the office of a member of the clergy.

The seminary trains students for clerical roles within the church.

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