Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Clerk?

\Clerk\ (?; in Eng. ?; 277), n. [Either OF. clerc, fr. L. clericus a priest, or AS. clerc, cleric, clerk, priest, fr. L. clericus, fr. Gr. ? belonging to the clergy, fr. ? lot, allotment, clergy; cf. Deut. xviii. 2. Cf. {Clergy}.] 1. A clergyman or ecclesiastic. [Obs.] All persons were styled clerks that served in the church of Christ. --Ayliffe. 2. A man who could read; a scholar; a learned person; a man of letters. [Obs.] ``Every one that could read . . . being accounted a clerk.'' --Blackstone. He was no great clerk, but he was perfectly well versed in the interests of Europe. --Burke. 3. A parish officer, being a layman who leads in reading the responses of the Episcopal church service, and otherwise assists in it. [Eng.] --Hook. And like unlettered clerk still cry ``Amen''. --Shak. 4. One employed to keep records or accounts; a scribe; an accountant; as, the clerk of a court; a town clerk. The clerk of the crown . . . withdrew the bill. --Strype. Note: In some cases, clerk is synonymous with secretary. A clerk is always an officer subordinate to a higher officer, board, corporation, or person; whereas a secretary may be either a subordinate or the head of an office or department. 5. An assistant in a shop or store. [U. S.]