What does clergywoman mean?
A clergywoman is a woman who has been formally ordained or otherwise appointed as a minister, priest, pastor, or similar religious official within a church or other faith community. The word arose by direct analogy with 'clergyman,' combining 'clergy'—a term for the body of people ordained for religious duties—with the feminine suffix '-woman.' Its use became widespread only during the twentieth century, as a growing number of Christian denominations began ordaining women, and it now serves as the standard, neutral way to refer to a female member of the clergy in British and American English. A clergywoman typically performs the same duties as any cleric: leading worship, preaching, administering sacraments, and offering pastoral care. Related terms include 'clergywomen' for the plural and the collective 'clergy,' which embraces both men and women in religious office.
nounA woman who is a member of the clergy; a female ordained minister, priest, or other religious official.
- A woman who is an ordained minister, priest, or other member of the Christian clergy.
"The congregation welcomed its first clergywoman with a service of celebration."
"As a young clergywoman, she served two rural parishes before moving to the cathedral."
"The conference brought together clergywomen from across the country to discuss pastoral care."
The plural follows the irregular man/men pattern seen in compounds such as 'gentleman'/'gentlemen'; it refers collectively to female members of the clergy.
"The retreat gathered dozens of clergywomen from dioceses around the world."
The word 'clergywoman' didn't exist in English until women began being ordained — its very existence marks a quiet revolution in religious history.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clergywoman
The word 'clergywoman' combines 'clergy,' which derives via Old French 'clergié' from Late Latin 'clericus,' meaning a clerk or ecclesiastic, ultimately from Greek 'klērikos,' meaning 'of the lot or heritage' (from the idea that the clergy were the Lord's portion), with the native English word 'woman.' It was formed on the model of 'clergyman' and entered common use in the twentieth century as women gained access to ordination across many Christian denominations. Cognate forms sharing the same root include 'clerical,' 'cleric,' and, through a different semantic path, 'clerk.'
Related word forms
How clergywoman is actually used
The word is a neutral, standard term used in both formal and everyday contexts. It is formed by analogy with 'clergyman' and is often preferred over older phrases such as 'female clergyman.' In some denominations that do not ordain women, the term may be inapplicable. The plural is 'clergywomen,' following the pattern of 'clergyman'/'clergymen'.
Easily confused with clergywoman
A clergyman is a male member of the clergy, whereas a clergywoman is a female member of the clergy.