From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclericcler‧ic /ˈklerɪk/ ●○○ noun [countable] RRCa member of the clergy
Examples from the Corpus
cleric• The average age in the new chamber will be 15 years younger than in the outgoing body, with many fewer clerics.• Also patron of clerics, diplomats, messengers, postal workers, radio workers, telecommunications workers, and television workers.• They say senior clerics conspired with high-ranking intelligence officials to carry out the murders.• But her smile died as the cleric went on.• As for the clerics, they get five minutes every morning on the radio while most people are asleep.• Sometimes the clerics among them met separately from the laymen.• The two clerics brightened up, and accepted a whisky each.Origin cleric (1600-1700) Late Latin clericus; → CLERK1 