Definition of "anticlerical" []

• Opposed to the influence of the church or the clergy in political affairs. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The policy known as anticlerical, inaugurated by Gambetta in his speech at Romans, 18 September, 1878, containing the famous catchword"
• "While the article in some ways specifically addresses the German situation - over here, the Holy Father's act of paternal mercy served as a pretext for an anticlerical outbreak which had not been seen since the earlier days of John Paul II's reign - it is still very much worth reading for a general Catholic public."
• "Donovan also knew that Pius so far had refused to authorize priests to serve as chaplains with the northern Italian partisans; the pope thought the bands were infested with anticlerical communists and discounted their strength."