Clerkery

/ˈklɜːkəri/ noun

Definition

The work, position, or behavior characteristic of a clerk; clerical work or duties.

Etymology

From 'clerk' plus the suffix '-ery' (meaning a place or collection of things, or a type of work). This suffix appears in words like 'nursery' and 'brewery'.

Kelly Says

Clerkery became such a common profession during the Industrial Revolution that Charles Dickens made it a symbol of soul-crushing routine—his character Bob Cratchit epitomized the tedious, underpaid clerk who brought Victorian society to life on paper.

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