clerk

clerk — noun

1. someone whose job involves keeping records, filing documents, and doing everyday

1.nounB1
Definition

someone whose job involves keeping records, filing documents, and doing everyday paperwork in an office or for a company.

Example

Leila spent the summer as a filing clerk at a law firm in Taipei.

collocation: filing clerk

The office clerk sorted the mail and updated the staff contact list each morning.

Common collocations
  • filing clerk
  • payroll clerk
  • accounting clerk
  • office clerk
  • clerk at a bank
  • clerk for a company
Synonyms
  • administrator

    implies more senior or managerial duties beyond basic record-keeping

  • office worker

    a broader term that includes any job done in an office, not just record-keeping

Grammar Patterns

clerk + at/in [place]

clerk + for [person/department]

Usage Note

Often used in compound job titles such as filing clerk, payroll clerk, or accounting clerk to specify the type of office work.

Common Mistakes

She works as clerk in a bank.
She works as a clerk in a bank.
clerk is a countable noun and needs an article.

2. a worker in a store or shop who helps customers find items, answers questions ab

2.nounA2
Definition

a worker in a store or shop who helps customers find items, answers questions about products, and handles purchases.

Example

The store clerk helped Ravi find a birthday gift for his mother.

collocation: store clerk

Yusuf worked as a sales clerk at the electronics shop during summer break.

collocation: sales clerk

Common collocations
  • store clerk
  • sales clerk
  • shop clerk
  • clerk at a store
  • clerk at the counter
Synonyms
  • salesperson

    more neutral and can be used for any gender or product type

  • shop assistant

    more common in British English than American English

Grammar Patterns

clerk + at/in [store]

store clerk

sales clerk

Common Mistakes

The clerk at the counter smiled.
The shop clerk smiled at the customer.
in this sense, specifying shop or store makes the meaning clear.

3. an employee at a hotel who greets guests, handles check-ins and check-outs, and

3.nounA2
Definition

an employee at a hotel who greets guests, handles check-ins and check-outs, and answers questions during their stay.

Example

The hotel clerk gave Diego a room key and explained the breakfast hours.

collocation: hotel clerk

Hana called the front desk, and the clerk arranged a taxi for the airport.

Common collocations
  • hotel clerk
  • front desk clerk
  • clerk at the front desk
  • hotel night clerk
Synonyms
  • receptionist

    used more broadly for any front-desk role; more common in British English

  • front desk agent

    a more formal job title used in the hotel industry

Grammar Patterns

hotel clerk

front desk clerk

clerk at [hotel]

Usage Note

Primarily used in American English. In British English, receptionist is the more common term for this role.

4. someone who has recently finished law school and works for a judge — researching

4.nounC1
Definition

someone who has recently finished law school and works for a judge — researching legal questions, writing draft opinions, and getting cases ready for court.

Example

After law school, Theo worked as a clerk for a federal judge in Chicago.

collocation: clerk for [judge]

The judge asked her clerk to research a similar case from last year.

Common collocations
  • law clerk
  • judicial clerk
  • clerk for a judge
  • clerk at the court
  • federal clerk
Synonyms
  • legal assistant

    broader term that can include paralegals and support staff without a law degree

  • judicial clerk

    more formal term used for a clerk working directly for a judge

Grammar Patterns

law clerk

clerk + for [judge]

Usage Note

This is a specific, competitive position for law graduates. Distinguished from the general office clerk sense (index 1) by its legal context and requirement of legal training.

Common Mistakes

The law clerk sells products in a store.
The law clerk researches cases for a judge.
a law clerk works in a legal setting, not retail.

clerk — verb

Word family

  • clerical
    adjectiveB2
  • clerkship
    nounC1
  • clerking
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Clerk, secretary, assistant, administrator, and receptionist all describe office roles, but they differ in focus. A clerk typically handles records, filing, and routine paperwork — the work is task-oriented and often involves organizing information. A secretary manages correspondence, schedules, and communication for an individual or department, with more emphasis on coordination. An assistant supports a specific person (e.g. a manager) with varied tasks, which may include clerical duties but also personal or strategic work. An administrator oversees processes, systems, or departments, often with decision-making authority. A receptionist greets visitors and answers phones, acting as the public face of an organization. For example: 'The clerk filed the signed contracts' focuses on record-keeping, while 'The secretary scheduled the meeting' focuses on coordination, and 'The administrator approved the budget' focuses on oversight.

clerk ↗secretary ↗assistant ↗administrator ↗receptionist ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • office clerk
  • sales clerk
  • store clerk
  • hotel clerk
  • law clerk
  • filing clerk
  • payroll clerk
  • accounting clerk
  • front desk clerk
  • court clerk

Phrases

  • work as a clerk
  • clerk at the front desk
  • clerk for a judge

Prepositions

  • clerk at
  • clerk for
  • clerk in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Clerk entered English from Old French clerc, which came from Latin clericus meaning 'a clergyman.' In medieval Europe, only clergy were educated and could read and write, so the word clerc came to mean anyone who could keep records or write documents. Over time, the religious sense faded, and clerk became the general term for an office worker who handles records. The modern retail and hotel uses developed in the 19th and 20th centuries as customer-service jobs expanded.