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clericalism

American  
[kler-i-kuh-liz-uhm] / ˈklɛr ɪ kəˌlɪz əm /

noun

  1. clerical principles.

  2. clerical power or influence in government, politics, etc. (laicism ).

  3. support of such power or influence.

clericalism British  
/ ˈklɛrɪkəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. a policy of upholding the power of the clergy

  2. the power of the clergy esp when excessively strong

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • clericalist noun

Etymology

Origin of clericalism

First recorded in 1860–65; clerical + -ism

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.