Legal Definitions - clericus

Definition: Clericus (kler-uh-kus) is a term from Law Latin that means "clergyman." It has several historical meanings:

1. Ecclesiastical law: A person who is ordained as a priest or deacon.
2. Court clerk or officer: A person who works in a court or the royal household as a clerk or officer.
3. Amanuensis: A person who writes or transcribes documents for someone else.

Examples:

• John was ordained as a priest and became a clericus in the Catholic Church.
• The king's clericus was responsible for keeping records of the royal household's expenses.
• Mary hired a clericus to transcribe her manuscript into a digital format.

The first example illustrates the ecclesiastical law meaning of clericus, where John became a priest and was considered a clericus. The second example shows the court clerk or officer meaning, where the king's clericus was responsible for keeping records. The third example demonstrates the amanuensis meaning, where Mary hired a clericus to transcribe her manuscript.