Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “clerc” come from?

clerc (Old French) 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 French): a clergyman, usually in Christianity

Definitions

  1. a clergyman, usually in Christianity

Ancestry of “clerc”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinclēricus—
2Ancient Greekκληρικόςof or pertaining to clergy; clerical; clergyman
3Ancient Greek-ικόςof or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic
4Ancient Greek-κόςforms adjectives with the sense of 'of or...
5Proto-Indo-European-ḱos-y, -ic

Words derived from “clerc”

  • clergeon
  • clerc
  • clèrcot
  • clèrc
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos →