Clerkliest

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Most characteristic of a clerk, meaning the most scholarly, learned, or bookish in manner
2. Displaying the most of the learned, scholarly, or office-bound qualities associated with a clerk
3. Exhibiting the greatest degree of the studious, literate, and academic manner once typical of clerks

Etymology: "Clerkliest" is the superlative of "clerkly," which means "like a clerk" or "befitting a clerk." The base word "clerk" traces back to Old English "clerc," a term for a cleric or churchman, since in medieval England only clergy could generally read and write, so learning and the church's administrative work were closely tied together. The meaning gradually widened from a churchman to anyone who kept written records or accounts. The suffix "-ly" is the common English ending that turns a noun into an adjective meaning "characteristic of" or "in the manner of," as in "friendly" or "kingly." Attaching it to "clerk" produced "clerkly," describing qualities associated with the scribe or record-keeper, such as neat handwriting, careful bookkeeping, or a quiet, bookish manner. Its superlative, "clerkliest," follows the same pattern as other two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, with the -y changed to -i before the -est ending.

Synonyms: scholarly, learned

Antonyms: unlearned