Clerisy
[KLER-ə-see]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: German, early 19th century
1.
A distinct class of learned or literary people.
Examples of Clerisy in a sentence
"Members of the clerisy make time to read daily."
"John tried to make his writing accessible to all audiences, not just the clerisy."
About Clerisy
Clerisy developed from the German word “Klerisei,” which is thought to have originated from the Greek word “klēros” (heritage).
Did you Know?
The word “clerisy” was first introduced by poet and writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Influenced heavily by the German word for “clergy” and the Greek word for “heritage,” Coleridge believed that creating a class of learned, literary intellectuals would be key for humanity’s survival. As evidenced from the careful reasoning behind the creation of this word, Coleridge was as much a critic and literary analyst as he was an artistic soul.
