Etymology of the English word clergy
the English word
clergyderived from the Old French word
clergiederived from the Old French word
clercderived from the Latin word
clericus (clergyman, priest, cleric)
derived from the Greek word
klerikos, κληρικός
derived from the Greek word
kleros, κλῆρος (a die (for drawing chances); by implication, a portion (as if so secured); by extension, an acquisition (especially a patrimony, figuratively))
Date
The earliest known usage of clergy in English dates from the 13th century.
Derivations in English
clergymanCognates
Dutch
clerus, French
clergé, German
Klerus, Norwegian
kleresi, Swedish
klerusUsage
Word found in Modern English
