Added 9 October 2026
cleric
/ˈklɛɹɪk/ noun
In Latin: sacerdōs, pontifex Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about cleric at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
Origin
Borrowed from Late Latin clēricus, from Ancient Greek κληρικός (klērikós), from κλῆρος (klêros, “a casting lots, drawing lots”). Many officers at Athens obtained their offices by lot, as opposed to election (Liddell and Scott). Doublet of clerk.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)