plural clergies
1
: a group ordained to perform pastoral or sacerdotal functions in a Christian church
Members of the clergy have been invited to participate in an interfaith service.
2
: the official or sacerdotal class of a non-Christian religion
Buddhist clergy
Examples of clergy in a Sentence
Local clergy have been invited to participate in an interfaith service.
a member of the clergy
Recent Examples on the Web
Tim Keller, the pastor who effectively invented the modern urban evangelical church movement through New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian, spent heavily training the next generation of clergy but did not produce a successor.
—
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 May 2026
Among the members of the clergy, Imam Taha Hassane stood with us.
—Michael Pham, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
The clergy specifically placed the handles of the tall ark at the bottom, so that even preschoolers would be able to open it.
—Rachel Kraus, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Galizia sees the photographs depicting priests as part of an artistic tradition, noting that no one watching a TV drama involving priests believes they are actually played by clergy.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clergy
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Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 May 2026
Among the members of the clergy, Imam Taha Hassane stood with us.
—Michael Pham, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2026
The clergy specifically placed the handles of the tall ark at the bottom, so that even preschoolers would be able to open it.
—Rachel Kraus, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
Galizia sees the photographs depicting priests as part of an artistic tradition, noting that no one watching a TV drama involving priests believes they are actually played by clergy.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clergy
Cite this Entry
“Clergy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clergy. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
clergy
noun
cler·gy
ˈklər-jē 
plural clergies
: the group of religious officials (as priests, ministers, or rabbis) specially prepared and authorized to conduct religious services
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