Definition

1. Verb:
   • To transfer from ecclesiastical to civil possession, use, or control: To remove something (such as property, an institution, or a function) from the control or ownership of a religious body and place it under the authority of a non-religious, civil government.
   • To make secular and draw away from a religious orientation: To remove religious influence, character, or control from a society, institution, or individual's life; to make something worldly or non-religious.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The government decided to secularize the monastery's lands and convert them into public parks.
  • The movement sought to secularize the education system by removing mandatory religious instruction from the curriculum.
  • Ataturk's reforms aimed to secularize Turkey, separating religion from the state's governance.

Advanced Usage

• "to secularize a holiday": to remove the religious significance from a traditionally religious holiday, making it a general cultural or public celebration.
  • Some argue that commercialism has effectively secularized Christmas in many countries.
• "to secularize society": to reduce the influence of religion on public life, laws, and social norms.
  • The process to secularize society often involves legal reforms concerning marriage, education, and state symbols.

Variants and Related Words

• Secularization (n): The process or act of making something secular.
  • The secularization of Western Europe was a gradual process over centuries.
• Secular (adj): Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis.
  • We live in a predominantly secular society.
• Secularism (n): The principle of separation of the state from religious institutions.
  • The country's constitution is based on secularism.

Synonyms

• Deconsecrate: To transfer (a building) from sacred to secular use.
• Laicize: To remove clerical character or influence from; to make lay or secular. (Often used specifically for removing religious status from individuals or institutions.)

Antonyms

• Consecrate: To make or declare something sacred.
• Sanctify: To set apart as or declare holy; to consecrate.
• Sacralize: To invest with or treat as having a sacred character or quality.

Verb

1. transfer from ecclesiastical to civil possession, use, or control
2. make secular and draw away from a religious orientation
   • Ataturk secularized Turkey