# Clark

/ˈkɫɑɹk/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clark
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a surname or first name

noun · CEFR A1

a common family name or a man's first name.

For teachers: a common English-language surname or masculine given name, originally derived from the occupation of a scribe or cleric.

- Clark Kent is the secret identity of the superhero Superman.
- The professor introduced Mr. Clark as the lead researcher on the project, noting his extensive background in historical linguistics.

### 2. a scribe or official

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old way of spelling 'clerk', meaning someone who writes records or works in an office.

For teachers: an obsolete spelling of 'clerk', referring to a person employed to keep records, accounts, or perform general office work.

- In the old manuscript, the writer signed his name as the town clark.
- The legal documents from the seventeenth century frequently refer to the court clark, using the vowel-shifted spelling common to that era.

Usage: In modern English, this spelling is only found in historical documents or as a proper name; 'clerk' is the standard form.

## Examples

- The clark wrote down every name in the big book.
- In the old village records, the clark had noted the birth of every child with careful handwriting.
- The medieval manuscript was meticulously transcribed by a clark who spent his entire life within the silent walls of the monastery library.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.