clergyman
gb/klˈɚd͡ʒimən/ us/klˈɚd͡ʒimən/
B1
English
~ 4800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
A male Christian minister
A man who works as a leader in a Christian church and performs religious duties.
Usage pattern:
[a/an] clergyman
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'clergyman' with 'priest'; however, 'clergyman' is more general and can refer to ministers from different Christian traditions.
Synonyms
priest (Often used specifically for Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican clergy; may not apply to all denominations.)
|
minister (Gender-neutral term for a person who leads church services and performs pastoral duties.)
Antonyms
layperson (Someone who is not a member of the clergy.)
Collocations
ordained clergyman
|senior clergyman
|parish clergyman
|visiting clergyman
Themes
religion
|Christianity
|church
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The clergyman delivered a heartfelt sermon on forgiveness.
- A local clergyman visited the hospital to pray with patients.
- Many villagers turned to the clergyman for guidance during difficult times.
Learner examples
- The clergyman spoke to the people in the church.
- A clergyman helped the family after the funeral.
- The clergyman wears special clothes during the service.
Grammar
Dictionary form
clergyman
IPA
GB/klˈɚd͡ʒimən/
US/klˈɚd͡ʒimən/
Syllables & stress
cler - gy - man (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cler)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: clergyman
- Plural: clergymen
Word family
Expressions
man of the cloth
1/mˈæn əv ðə klˈɔθ/
idiom
Male Christian minister
A man who works as a leader in a Christian church.
Examples
- Several men of the cloth attended the community event.
- The young man decided to become a man of the cloth after years of study.