clergy
A body of persons, such as priests, who are trained and ordained for religious serviceA body of persons, such as priests, who are trained and ordained for religious service.
» All the clergy are against the new law.
Der ganze Klerus ist gegen das neue Gesetz.
Meaning
1 senses(uncountable, usually)A body of persons, such as priests, who are trained and ordained for religious service.
Today we brought together clergy from the Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox, and Reformed traditions for ecumenical dialogue.
Geistlichkeit, Klerus
духове́нствоduxovénstvo
духове́нствоduxovénstvo, причтpryčt
- in Christianity, clergymen collectively (as distinguished from the laity)
Examples
4 sentencesAll the clergy are against the new law.
deDer ganze Klerus ist gegen das neue Gesetz.
Bishops, archbishops and abbots composed the high clergy.
ruЕпископы, архиепископы и аббаты составляли высшее духовенство.
deBischöfe, Erzbischöfe und Äbte bildeten den Hochklerus.
People who work for a given faith are called clergy.
Tensions grew when the laity questioned the primacy of the clergy in moral decision-making.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English clergie (attested in the 13th century), from Old French clergie (“learFrom Middle English clergie (attested in the 13th century), from Old French clergie (“learned men”), from Late Latin clēricātus, from Latin clēricus (“one ordained for religious services”), from Ancient Greek κληρικός (klērikós, “of the clergy”). Equivalent to cleric + -ate.
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Forms
plural: clergies| Singular | clergy |
|---|
uncountable
Synonyms
5 synonymsAntonyms
2 antonymsWord family
17 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable