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 In an interview last month, Shiite cleric and former Hezbollah executive Mohammad Ali al-Husseini described Safieddine as a far more hardline figure than Nasrallah. NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024 Should that musket misfire, don’t look for the cleric. Rob Wieland, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 The white-bearded cleric did not name a new leader. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Sep. 2024 At the apex of his career, the cleric was so popular that shops sold DVDs of his speeches, and many Lebanese used lines from them as ringtones. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cleric 

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 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cleric

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

More from Merriam-Webster on cleric

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!