Where does “clerc” come from?
clerc (Old English) comes from Latin clēricus, from Ancient Greek κληρικός, from Ancient Greek -ικός, from Ancient Greek -κός, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.
clerc (Old English): clergyman, clerk
Definitions
- clergyman, clerk
Ancestry of “clerc”, step by step
clerc traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin clēricus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | clēricus | a priest, clergyman or clergywoman, cleric |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | κληρικός | of or pertaining to clergy; clerical; clergyman |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |
via Late Latin clericus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | clericus | a priest, clergyman, cleric, also generally a... |