reading clerk

reading clerk — noun

1. an officer of a law-making body — such as a parliament, congress, or state assem

1.nounB2
Definition

an officer of a law-making body — such as a parliament, congress, or state assembly — whose main responsibility is to read proposed laws, resolutions, and other official documents aloud during meetings so that all members can hear them for the record.

Example

The reading clerk read the housing bill aloud to the state assembly on Monday.

collocation: read + bill / resolution / amendment

The reading clerk read each clause of the tax reform aloud while the members followed along on paper.

Common collocations
  • read a bill
  • read a resolution
  • read an amendment
  • read aloud
  • recite a clause
  • announce a vote result
Synonyms
  • legislative clerk

    broader term — a legislative clerk may also handle records and votes; a reading clerk focuses specifically on oral reading

  • parliamentary clerk

    used in Commonwealth systems; may include additional duties beyond reading

Usage Note

Restricted to formal legislative contexts such as parliaments, congresses, and assemblies. Distinguished from a general administrative clerk by this specific oral-reading duty. The role does not involve drafting or debating the documents — only reading them aloud.

Common Mistakes

The reading clerk filed the paperwork in the office.
The reading clerk read the bill aloud in the assembly hall.
A reading clerk's job is reading documents aloud in the legislative chamber, not general office tasks.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe officials who work with legislative documents, but each has a distinct scope. A reading clerk is the narrowest role — the primary job is reading bills and resolutions aloud in the chamber so members and the official record have a spoken version. A legislative clerk covers a wider range of duties, including maintaining records, tracking amendments, and managing votes alongside any reading tasks. Parliamentary clerk is the term used in Westminster-style systems and often implies a senior administrative role that includes advising on procedure. A recording clerk focuses on documenting what happens during sessions rather than reading documents aloud. In practice, a single person in a small assembly may carry out several of these functions, but the title reading clerk stresses the oral-reading function above all others.

reading clerk ↗legislative clerkparliamentary clerkrecording clerk

Common collocations

Phrases

  • serve as a reading clerk
  • appoint a reading clerk

Prepositions

  • of the reading clerk
  • for the reading clerk

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

From the English noun clerk (from Old French clerc, from Latin clericus 'cleric, clergyman') combined with the present participle reading, naming the official by their defining action of reading aloud. The compound appears in 19th-century records of the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures to designate a specialised role distinct from the chief clerk or recording clerk.