Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A policy of supporting the power and influence of the clergy in political or secular matters.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Clerical power or influence; especially, the undue influence of the clergy, or support of such influence; sacerdotalism.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An excessive devotion to the interests of the sacerdotal order; undue influence of the clergy; sacerdotalism.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun political or secular power invested in members of the clergy.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a policy of supporting the influence and power of the clergy in secular or political matters

Etymologies

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Examples

  • There is nothing to fear for Ireland, either now or in the future, from what I may term clericalism in politics, whilst on the other hand it is earnestly to be hoped that nothing will ever happen to intrude unnecessarily the question or authority of religion in the domain of more mundane affairs.

    Ireland Since Parnell 1910

  • The lightest suspicion of what is known as clericalism, even when only a suspicion, based on anonymous and calumnious denunciation, is sufficient to condemn a functionary.

    The Life of the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles W. Dilke, Volume 1 Stephen Lucius Gwynn 1907

  • She speculated that an implicit "clericalism" still lingers behind much of the push for women occupying positions in parishes, while the more fundamental work of evangelizing the secular world is neglected.

    The irony du jour Mike L 2006

  • She speculated that an implicit "clericalism" still lingers behind much of the push for women occupying positions in parishes, while the more fundamental work of evangelizing the secular world is neglected.

    Feminism and the Catholic Church Argent 2006

  • She speculated that an implicit "clericalism" still lingers behind much of the push for women occupying positions in parishes, while the more fundamental work of evangelizing the secular world is neglected.

    Archive 2006-12-01 Mike L 2006

  • This was great since a lot of Episcopal women priests' clothes just scream "clericalism" and "frump" I'll get hanged for saying this once my pseudonym loses it pseudonymity, but it's true.

    Matchy Matchy Eyeshadow, No No PeaceBang 2006

  • This may be a curious and obscure kind of clericalism that popularly expresses itself as an effort to run with the hare and follow with the hounds, but is really an heroic attempt to see both sides of the question, and is not a cheap pandering after popularity.

    Gilbert Keith Chesterton Patrick Braybrooke

  • The combined assault of the Liberals and the Socialists upon "clericalism" fell flat, and against the Government's contention that the extraordinary and incontestable prosperity of the country merited a continuance of

    The Governments of Europe Frederic Austin Ogg 1914

  • Republic was now and then urged by a certain section of the press to punish the "clericalism" of Ollé-Laprune, but the repute of his philosophical teaching protected him.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 11: New Mexico-Philip 1840-1916 1913

  • I will not talk nor allow any one else to talk about "clericalism" and "militarism."

    A Miscellany of Men 1905

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