clergy
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cler·gy
(klûr′jē)n. pl. cler·gies
The body of people ordained or recognized by a religious community as ritual or spiritual leaders. See Usage Note at collective noun.
[Middle English clergie, from Old French (from Vulgar Latin *clercīa, from Late Latin clēricus; see clerk) and from Old French clergié, body of clerks (from Vulgar Latin *clercātus, from Late Latin clēricātus, from clēricus, clerk, cleric).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
clergy
(ˈklɜːdʒɪ)n, pl -gies
(Ecclesiastical Terms) the collective body of men and women ordained as religious ministers, esp of the Christian Church.
[C13: from Old French clergie, from clerc ecclesiastic, clerk]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cler•gy
(ˈklɜr dʒi)n., pl. -gies.
the group or body of ordained persons in a religion, as distinguished from the laity.
[1175–1225; Middle English clerge, clergie < Old French clerge < Late Latin clericātus office of a priest; see cleric, -ate3]
cler′gy•like`, adj.
usage: See collective noun.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
clergy
Religious leaders; a member of the Church.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | ![]() priesthood - the body of ordained religious practitioners pastorate - pastors collectively cardinalate - cardinals collectively clergyman, man of the cloth, reverend - a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church laity, temporalty - in Christianity, members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
clergy
noun priesthood, ministry, clerics, clergymen, churchmen, the cloth, holy orders, ecclesiastics The Bolsheviks closed churches and imprisoned the clergy.
Quotations
"Clergy are men as well as other folks" [Henry Fielding Joseph Andrews]
"Clergy are men as well as other folks" [Henry Fielding Joseph Andrews]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
إكليروس، رِجال الكهنوت
duchovenstvo
gejstlighedpræstestand
papisto
klersvećenstvo
klerkastétt
dvasininkasdvasininkija
garīdzniecība
rahipler/papazlar sınıfı
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
clergy
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
clergy
(ˈkləːdʒi) noun the ministers, priests etc of the Christian religion. the clergy of the Church of England.
ˈclergyman noun one of the clergy; a priest, minister etc.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.