Clergy - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

cler·gy

Audio Help [klur-jee] Pronunciation Key

–noun, plural -gies.

the group or body of ordained persons in a religion, as distinguished from the laity.

[Origin: 1175–1225; ME clerge, clergie < OF clergé (< LL clericātus office of a priest; see cleric, -ate³), clergie, equiv. to clerc cleric + -ie -y³, with -g- after clergé

]

—Related forms

cler·gy·like, adjective

—Usage note See collective noun.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Clergy

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

cler·gy Audio Help (klûr'jē) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. cler·gies
The body of people ordained for religious service. 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).]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
clergy

c.1200, clergie "office or dignity of a clergyman," from two O.Fr. words: 1. clergie "clerics, learned men," from M.L. clericatus, from L. clericus (see clerk); 2. clergie "learning," from clerc, also from L. clericus. Clergyman is 1577; clergywoman is 1673. Cleric (1621) was borrowed directly from L. clericus after clerk took its modern meaning. Clerical (1592) was originally "of the clergy;" meaning "of clerks" first attested 1798.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

clergy
noun
in Christianity, clergymen collectively (as distinguished from the laity) [ant: laity]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
clergy [ˈkləːdʒi] noun

the ministers, priests etc of the Christian religion
Example: the clergy of the Church of England

Arabic:	إكليروس، رِجال الكهنوت
Chinese (Simplified):	牧师
Chinese (Traditional):	牧師
Czech:	duchovenstvo
Danish:	præstestand; gejstlighed
Dutch:	geestelijkheid
Estonian:	vaimulikkond
Finnish:	papisto
French:	clergé
German:	die Geistlichkeit
Greek:	(ο) κλήρος
Hungarian:	papság
Icelandic:	klerkastétt
Indonesian:	pejabat gereja
Italian:	clero

Japanese:	聖職者
Korean:	성직자
Latvian:	garīdzniecība
Lithuanian:	dvasininkija
Norwegian:	presteskap, geistlighet
Polish:	duchowieństwo
Portuguese (Brazil):	clero
Portuguese (Portugal):	clero
Romanian:	cler
Russian:	духовенство
Slovak:	duchovenstvo
Slovenian:	duhovščina
Spanish:	clero
Swedish:	prästerskap, präster
Turkish:	rahipler, *papazlar sınıfı

See also: clergyman

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Clergy

Ben"e*fit\, n. [OE. benefet, benfeet, bienfet, F. bienfait, fr. L. benefactum; bene well (adv. of bonus good) + factum, p. p. of facere to do. See Bounty, and Fact.]

1. An act of kindness; a favor conferred.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. --Ps. ciii. 2.

2. Whatever promotes prosperity and personal happiness, or adds value to property; advantage; profit.

Men have no right to what is not for their benefit. --Burke.

3. A theatrical performance, a concert, or the like, the proceeds of which do not go to the lessee of the theater or to the company, but to some individual actor, or to some charitable use.

4. Beneficence; liberality. [Obs.] --Webster (1623).

5. pl. Natural advantages; endowments; accomplishments. [R.] "The benefits of your own country." --Shak.

Benefit of clergy. (Law) See under Clergy.

Syn: Profit; service; use; avail. See Advantage.

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