cleric
/ˈklerɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈklerɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkler-ik ˈkle-rik/ (ame, mw)
cleric — noun
- clericsingular
- clericsplural
1. a person who has official authority in a church, mosque, temple, or other religi
a person who has official authority in a church, mosque, temple, or other religious body, often guiding worshippers and leading services
A young cleric welcomed Ada at the temple gate on Friday morning.
collocation: a young/senior/local cleric
Several Muslim clerics signed the open letter calling for peace in the region.
collocation: Muslim/Christian/Hindu cleric
Christopher trained for ten years before becoming a cleric in the Anglican Church.
The village asked Layla's father, a respected cleric, to bless the new school.
Senior clerics from three faiths met in Geneva to talk about climate change.
- clergyman
specifically male and usually Christian; cleric works across genders and faiths
- minister
usually Protestant Christian; narrower than the cross-faith 'cleric'
- priest
names a specific rank in Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and some non-Christian traditions
- imam
Muslim prayer leader; one type of cleric, not a general synonym
- layperson
an ordinary member of a religious community without official authority
文法句型
a [adjective] cleric
Muslim/Christian/Buddhist cleric
用法筆記
Formal and slightly bookish; common in news reports about religion. Refers to ordained or officially recognised figures, not ordinary worshippers.