Words / B2

KLURJ-ee/ˈklɜːdʒi/

The clergy are people ordained for religious duties, treated as a group (usually with the): the clergy; clergy and laity. A priest, vicar, or imam is an individual; clerical can mean office work (already in the dictionary) — trap. The clergy signed the petition; name the bishop if the source does. Mix-up: clerical (office) / clerk. Do not call every religious believer clergy.

Meaning

People ordained for religious duties, treated as a group (usually with the).

Examples

• “The clergy signed the petition; name the bishop if the source does.”
• “Clergy and laity featured in the parish source, which is the ordained-vs-lay sense.”

Good to know

the clergy; a member of the clergy; clergy and laity. Office-work trap: clerical. RS, history, and news. Ordained officials as a group, not all worshippers.

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