[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/clerical/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [C](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/c/) / clerical

# clerical

adjective (clerical)

«clerical» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To do with office work, such as typing, filing and keeping records (a clerical job, a clerical error). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#m1)
2. (church) To do with the clergy — priests, vicars, ministers — and their work (a clerical collar). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday adult life, a «clerical worker» does office tasks, and a «clerical error» is a small mistake in writing or typing records, such as a wrong date. In church life, priests and ministers may wear a white «clerical collar» (dog collar). It tells the reader about offices or about clergy.

### Examples

- Mum does clerical work at the hospital. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x1)
- The wrong date was just a clerical error. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x2)
- The vicar wore a clerical collar. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x3)
- A clerical mistake sent the parcel to the wrong house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x4)
- The school office needs a new clerical assistant. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x5)
- Clerical robes are worn by priests during services. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x6)
- The principal person in the procession was a clerical-looking gentleman. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/#x7)

### Note

Adjective only. It comes from «cleric» (a member of the clergy) — in the past, priests were among the few people who could write, so «clerk» and «clerical» came to mean office work too. «Clerical error» is a fixed phrase meaning a small mistake in paperwork.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «clerical» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clerical/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«clerical» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clerical.html) on Mova free.