cleric

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin clēricus, from Ancient Greek κληρικός (klērikós), from κλῆρος (klêros, “a casting lots, drawing lots”), (Europe; many officers at Athens obtained their offices by lot, as opposed to election [Liddell and Scott]), from Proto-Indo-European *kald-, *klād- (“timber, log”), from Proto-Indo-European *kola-, *klā- (“to beat, hew, break, destroy, kill”). Doublet of clerk.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /klɛɹɪk/
• Rhymes: -ɛɹɪk

Noun

cleric (plural clerics)

1. A clergy member.

Further reading

• cleric in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• cleric in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• cleric at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Circle, circle