— clericality , n. — clerically , adv.
/kler"i keuhl/ , adj.
1. of, pertaining to, appropriate for, or assigned to an office clerk or clerks: a clerical job.
2. doing the work of a clerk or clerks: a clerical assistant; a clerical staff.
3. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the clergy or a member of the clergy: clerical garb.
4. advocating the power or influence of the clergy in politics, government, etc.: a clerical party.
n.
5. a cleric.
6. clericals , Informal. clerical garments.
7. a person or a party advocating the power or influence of the church in politics, government, etc.
8. a person who does clerical work; office worker; clerk.
9. Also called clerical error . a minor error, as in the keeping of records, the transcribing of documents, or the handling of correspondence.
[ 1425-75 for sense "learned"; 1585-95 for def. 3; late ME clericalis, equiv. to cleric ( us ) CLERIC + -alis -AL 1 ]