Resembling or characteristic of clergy members in appearance, manner, or behavior.
From clergy (from Old French clergie, meaning 'learning' or 'educated class') combined with like (from Old English gelīc, meaning 'similar'). The suffix -like emerged in English by the 12th century to form adjectives meaning 'having the qualities of.'
This word reveals how English speakers could instantly recognize a priest just by looking at someone—their distinctive robes and demeanor were so recognizable that they inspired an entire adjective to describe that particular aesthetic.
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