in Christianity, clergymen collectively (as distinguished from the laity)
"The church announced that all clergy would meet on Sunday to discuss the new mission strategy."
Body of persons, such as ministers, sheiks, priests and rabbis, who are trained and ordained for religious service.
"The local clergy gathered in the church hall to discuss upcoming community outreach programs."
In plain English: Clergy are religious leaders who perform ceremonies and guide their faith community.
"The local clergy organized a food drive to help families in need during winter."
Usage: Use the singular form clergyman or clergyperson to refer to an individual member of this group, rather than using "a clergy." The collective noun itself is grammatically plural and takes a plural verb (e.g., "The clergy meet today").
The word clergy comes from the Old French term clergie, meaning "learned men." This traces back to the Latin clericus and ultimately to the Ancient Greek klērikós, which referred to someone ordained for religious services.