Plural of clergywoman; female members of the clergy or ordained religious leaders.
Plural form of clergywoman, combining clergy with the plural women. This term became necessary in English only after women's ordination began in the late 20th century across various denominations.
The late arrival of this word (post-1970s in most dictionaries) represents a linguistic timestamp of social change—words are born when society needs them, and their absence from older texts tells a story of exclusion.
Plural of the marked feminine form 'clergywoman', reflecting historical exclusion of women from ordained roles. Using marked feminine plural reinforces gender as exceptional category rather than normalcy.
For mixed or unspecified groups, use 'clergy members' or 'ordained clergy'. Use 'clergywomen' only when: (1) discussing women's representation in clergy or (2) a group self-identifies this way.
["clergy members","ordained clergy","ordained ministers","female clergy members"]
Women's increasing presence in ordained ministry globally represents reversal of centuries of institutional exclusion; gender-neutral terminology accelerates normalization of their equal authority.
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