clergy
KLER-jee
/ˈklɜːrdʒi/
The body of all people ordained for religious duties, especially in the Christian Church.
Refers to the group as a whole rather than an individual; it is the collective opposite of the 'laity'.
The story behind the word. The word traces back to the Greek 'kleros', meaning a 'lot' or 'allotment'. In the early church, it was believed that the ministers were 'allotted' to God’s service, or that God was their 'allotment' instead of worldly wealth.
Word relationships
- priesthood: Priesthood specifically refers to the office or rank of a priest, while clergy is the collective body of all such officials.
- ministry: Ministry often refers to the act of serving or the profession itself, whereas clergy refers to the people.
- laity: The laity are the ordinary members of a religious congregation as opposed to the clergy.
Commonly confused with
- cleric: A cleric is an individual member; clergy is the collective group.
Word family
- cleric (noun): A priest or religious leader.
- clerical (adjective): Relating to the clergy.
Collocations
- local clergy
- ordained clergy
- members of the clergy
Example sentences
- "In the Middle Ages, the clergy were often the only members of society who could read and write." Historical observation on social structure.
- "He was a member of the clergy, and his life was devoted to the service of his parish." A classic literary description of a character's profession.
Memory hook
The CLERGY are the ones who lead the CHURCH (both start with C). The 'allotted' ones.
When not to use
Do not use to refer to a single person; use 'clergyman', 'cleric', or 'minister' instead.
Fun facts
- In the UK, the 'Benefit of Clergy' was a legal rule that allowed clergymen to be tried in more lenient ecclesiastical courts rather than secular ones.
Explore more words
clerical, anticlerical, laicization, ecclesiastical, secular, liturgy
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