clerical: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, neutral, business, religious
Quick answer
What does “clerical” mean?
Relating to office work or routine tasks, especially involving data, filing, and paperwork.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Relating to office work or routine tasks, especially involving data, filing, and paperwork.
1. Relating to the work done by clerks in an office. 2. Relating to the clergy in a church or religious institution.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. 'Clerical' for office work is slightly more formal in both varieties. In religious contexts, usage is identical.
Connotations
In business contexts, can sometimes carry a faintly negative or limiting connotation (e.g., low-level, routine work), but this is not inherent.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English in formal administrative contexts (e.g., 'clerical officer'). Equally understood in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “clerical” in a Sentence
[clerical] + noun (work, staff, error)adjective + [clerical] (purely clerical, routine clerical)preposition + [clerical] (in a clerical capacity)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “clerical” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form. The related verb is 'to clerk': 'She clerks for a solicitor.')
American English
- (No standard verb form. The related verb is 'to clerk': 'He clerks at the Supreme Court.')
adverb
British English
- (Rare. 'clerically' is possible but unnatural. Use phrases like 'in a clerical role' instead.)
American English
- (Rare. 'clerically' is possible but unnatural. Use phrases like 'from an administrative standpoint' instead.)
adjective
British English
- The council is advertising for a clerical officer.
- The mistake was due to a simple clerical oversight.
American English
- She took a clerical job at the law firm to gain experience.
- The audit revealed several clerical errors in the tax filings.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to routine administrative tasks and support roles (e.g., 'We need to hire more clerical staff for data entry').
Academic
Used in historical/sociological studies (e.g., 'the rise of the clerical class in the 19th century').
Everyday
Less common; used when specifically discussing office jobs or correcting paperwork mistakes.
Technical
In computing/IT, can refer to data entry or legacy paperwork systems.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clerical”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clerical”
- Using 'clerical' to mean 'related to cleaning' (confusion with 'clear' or 'clean').
- Using it as a noun to mean 'a clerk' (e.g., 'He is a clerical' is incorrect; 'He is a clerk' or 'He does clerical work' is correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not directly. You say 'clerical worker' or 'clerical staff'. 'Clerical' describes the work or role, not the person as a noun.
The office/work meaning is more frequent in everyday language, especially in business and job-related contexts.
Yes, it's a very common collocation meaning a mistake made in paperwork or data handling, not a judgment error.
They overlap, but 'clerical' often implies more routine, entry-level tasks (filing, data entry). 'Administrative' can be broader, including coordination and management tasks.
Relating to office work or routine tasks, especially involving data, filing, and paperwork.
Clerical is usually formal, neutral, business, religious in register.
Clerical: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkler.ɪ.kəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkler.ɪ.kəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A clerical error (a mistake made in paperwork)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CLERK in an office or a CLERGYman in a church. Both do specific, organised work. 'Clerical' describes what relates to them.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORK IS A MACHINE (clerical work is the routine, predictable part of the organisational machine).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'clerical' refer to a religious official?