the group or body of ordained persons in a religion, as distinguished from the laity.

noun

laity

noun

canonicate , canonry , cardinalate , churchpersons , clerics , conclave , deaconry , diaconate , ecclesiastics , first estate , holy order , pastorate , prelacy , priesthood , rabbinate , the cloth , the desk , the pulpitnotes:clergy first meant \'learning , scholarship\' and clerk had the original meaning \'man ordained to the christian ministry\' , archdeacon , canon , chancellor , chaplain , clergyman , clergymen , cleric , clerisy , cloth , curate , deacon , dean , ecclesiastic , ecclesiasticism , hierophant , incumbent , locum , locum tenens , man of the cloth , metropolitan , ministers , ministry , ordinary , padre , prebendary , precentor , prelate , primate , prior , proctor , provost , pulpitarian , rural dean , spiritualities , suffragan