Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to the laity; secular; non-clerical: Pertaining to or characteristic of people who are not members of the clergy or a religious order. It describes things, roles, or positions that are distinct from the official, ordained ministry of a church.

Usage

The word "laic" is a formal, somewhat rare adjective. It is used to describe people, activities, or institutions that are part of the ordinary, non-ordained membership of a religious community (the laity), in contrast to those that are clerical or ecclesiastical. - It is often used in religious, historical, or sociological contexts. - It can describe a person's status, a type of ministry performed by non-clergy, or the secular nature of something within a religious framework.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The council included both clerical and laic members.
  • He served in a laic capacity, organizing community outreach without being ordained.
  • The debate focused on the role of laic authority in church governance.

Advanced Usage

• "Laic state": A state or government that is officially secular and separate from religious institutions.
  • The country's constitution established it as a laic state.
• "Laic education": Education that is secular and not under the control of a religious body.
  • The movement advocated for a system of laic education.

Variants and Related Words

• Laical (adj): A less common variant with the same meaning as "laic."
  • He wrote from a laical perspective.
• Laity (n): The body of religious worshippers, as distinguished from the clergy.
  • The new program is designed to better educate the laity.
• Lay (adj): The more common and general synonym for "laic," meaning non-professional or non-clerical.
  • She is a lay preacher in her church.

Synonyms

• Secular: Not connected with religious or spiritual matters.
• Lay: Of, relating to, or performed by the laity.
• Non-clerical: Not involving or belonging to the clergy.
• Temporal: Relating to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs; secular.

Antonyms

• Clerical: Relating to the clergy.
• Ecclesiastical: Relating to the Christian church or its clergy.
• Ordained: Having been admitted to the ministry of the church.
• Sacerdotal: Relating to priests or the priesthood; priestly.

Adjective

1. characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy
   • set his collar in laic rather than clerical position
   • the lay ministry