clerical error

English

Noun

clerical error (plural clerical errors)

1. An error on the part of an office worker, often a secretary or personal assistant.
   • 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I:

     ‘The groans of this sick person,’ he said, ‘distract my attention. And without that it is extremely difficult to guard against clerical errors in this climate.’

   • 2024 April 15, Emine Sinmaz, quoting Ayesha Vardag, “Wrong couple get divorced after solicitor ‘clicks wrong button’”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     Vardag […] added: “The state should not be divorcing people on the basis of a clerical error. There has to be intention on the part of the person divorcing, because the principle of intention underpins the justice of our legal system.

Further reading

• clerical error on Wikipedia.Wikipedia