Pronunciation: [klˈɛɹɪkə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "clerical" is spelled as /ˈklɛrɪkəl/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short "e" sound /ɛ/ and the second syllable has an unstressed schwa sound /ə/. The "r" sound is also present in the first syllable /klɛr/. This word means relating to the work of a cleric or a member of the clergy. It is commonly used to describe administrative tasks performed by church officials or employees who work in an office environment.
Clerical is an adjective used to describe something related to or characteristic of office work, administrative tasks, or the functioning of a clerical office. It typically refers to the work or duties performed by clerks or those employed in administrative roles.
In the context of employment, the term clerical is used to describe jobs that involve performing routine administrative duties, such as filing, organizing records, data entry, answering telephones, typing documents, or managing correspondence. These roles generally support the smooth operation of a business or organization by providing administrative and secretarial support to other staff members or higher-level professionals.
Clerical tasks can be found in a wide range of industries and sectors, including corporate offices, government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and non-profit organizations. Due to advances in technology, many traditional clerical duties have evolved to include the use of computers, software programs, and other digital tools to handle tasks more efficiently and effectively.
Additionally, clerical can also refer to the religious or ecclesiastical responsibilities and activities carried out by members of the clergy or other religious officials. This aspect of the term pertains to the administrative and ceremonial duties performed in the administration of religious institutions or during religious ceremonies and rituals.
Overall, clerical primarily relates to administrative, secretarial, and office-based tasks, reflecting the administrative support provided by clerks or the religious responsibilities undertaken by members of the clergy or religious officials.
Pert. to the clergy or the Church.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "clerical" originated from the Late Latin word "clericālis", which means "pertaining to a clergyman" or "of the clergy". It was derived from the Latin word "clericus", which is a transliteration of the Greek word "klērikos", meaning "of the clergy" or "pertaining to a lot or heritage". The term "klērikos" itself is derived from the Greek word "klēros", meaning "lot" or "inheritance", which referred to the practice of assigning lots to the clergy in ancient times. Over time, "clerical" came to refer to anything related to church officials or their duties, and later extended to include administrative and office work.
