desk clerk vs clerk

desk clerk and clerk both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
desk clerk	Yes	No	No	No
clerk	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, clerk is a hypernym of desk clerk; that is, clerk is a word with a broader meaning than desk clerk:

desk clerk: a hotel receptionist
clerk: an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

desk clerk (noun)	clerk (noun)
a hotel receptionist	an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
	a salesperson in a store

desk clerk (verb)	clerk (verb)
	work as a clerk, as in the legal business