cleric

noun

cler·​ic ˈkler-ik How to pronounce cleric (audio)
ˈkle-rik
: a member of the clergy

Examples of cleric in a Sentence

clerics were sharply divided on the issue of whether the war was morally justified
Recent Examples on the Web As Iran prepares for a parliamentary election on Friday, calls to boycott the vote are turning it into a test of legitimacy for the ruling clerics amid widespread discontent and anger at the government. Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 In any case, the elevation of a cleric who has worked directly with the Pope emphasized the Vatican’s commitment to the Church’s presence in the region. Paul Elie, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 In 1931, at a congress in Jerusalem to highlight Muslim solidarity against Zionism, Sunni participants suggested that a famous Iraqi Shiite cleric lead the Friday prayer in the al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Toby Matthiesen, Foreign Affairs, 9 Feb. 2024 Whether seen as a defiant state challenging Western hegemony or a dictatorship that had discovered the secrets of economic growth, China held a special place in the young clerics’ political imagination. Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 Muhandis had once been something of a U.S. ally in the 2004 battles against the followers of Muqtada al-Sadr, another radical Shiite cleric, in Iraq. Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024 The imam – a mosque’s cleric or prayer leader – was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, police said. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 3 Jan. 2024 The guidance from the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued after papal review and approval, largely reverses a 2021 ruling and expands on a far briefer statement of support for such blessings issued by Francis in September in response to questions raised by conservative clerics. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Dec. 2023 Some officials and clerics said the fierce reaction showed the Islamic Republic was out of step with public opinion. Leily Nikounazar, New York Times, 16 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cleric.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin clericus

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cleric was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near cleric

Cite this Entry

“Cleric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleric. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cleric

noun
cler·​ic ˈkler-ik How to pronounce cleric (audio)
: a member of the clergy

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