The clergy are the official leaders of religious work in an organised religion, spoken of as a group: priests, ministers, rabbis, imams, mullahs. When you mean all such people together, you say the clergy. It is not a casual job title for one person — “She is clergy” sounds odd; “She is a member of the clergy” is the natural shape.

The clergy are the official leaders of religious work in an organised religionclergy是某個有組織的宗教裡正式的領導人，spoken of as a group是以一整群的方式來說的：priests, ministers, rabbis, imams, mullahs像神父、牧師、拉比、伊瑪目、毛拉。When you mean all such people together, you say the clergy當你想指所有這些人的整體時，就說the clergy。It is not a casual job title for one person它不是用來隨口稱呼某一個人的職稱——"She is clergy" sounds odd「She is clergy」聽起來很怪；"She is a member of the clergy" is the natural shape「She is a member of the clergy」才是自然的說法。

The word is fairly formal. In English-speaking countries it most often means Christian church leaders, but the idea can cover other faiths too. The people who are not clergy are the laity: ordinary worshippers.

The word is fairly formal這個字算是相當正式的。In English-speaking countries it most often means Christian church leaders在說英語的國家裡它最常指的是基督教的教會領袖，but the idea can cover other faiths too但這個概念也可以涵蓋其他信仰。The people who are not clergy are the laity不是clergy的人就是laity，ordinary worshippers也就是一般的信徒。

Though actually, do not mix it up with clerk. Today a clerk works in an office or a shop. Long ago the two words sat close together, because clergy were often the people who could write.

Though actually, do not mix it up with clerk不過其實，不要把它跟clerk搞混了。Today a clerk works in an office or a shop現在clerk是在辦公室或店裡工作的人。Long ago the two words sat close together很久以前這兩個字的意思很接近，because clergy were often the people who could write因為clergy常常就是那些識字、會寫字的人。