1
: the people of a religious faith as distinguished from its clergy
The laity has played an important role in the history of the church.
2
: the mass of the people as distinguished from those of a particular profession or those specially skilled
writers who can interpret this wholeness both to their colleagues and the laity—
P. B. Sears
P. B. SearsExamples of laity in a Sentence
a member of the laity
The laity has played an important role in the history of the church.
Recent Examples on the Web
What about further empowerment of the laity to take on larger roles within the church — particularly evangelical and managerial — reducing pressure on under-staffed parishes and leading one day to married priests as the Catholic Church allowed for its first 1,000 years?
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2024
Discontented laity and non-Catholics turn to the church hierarchy in search of catharsis — or more cynically, perhaps a chance to score political points against enemy politicians.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 12 May 2024
Following the decision, a crisis of continuity has arisen between the UOC, the Russian Orthodox Church, and those clerics and laity who have assumed the name Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 25 Oct. 2023
The Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace, a group of Catholic clergy and laity in India, wrote a letter to Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai urging bishops to attend to the increasing attacks by far-right Hindu nationalist groups against Indian Christians, according to Crux Now.
—Fox News, 18 Feb. 2022
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Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2024
Discontented laity and non-Catholics turn to the church hierarchy in search of catharsis — or more cynically, perhaps a chance to score political points against enemy politicians.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 12 May 2024
Following the decision, a crisis of continuity has arisen between the UOC, the Russian Orthodox Church, and those clerics and laity who have assumed the name Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 25 Oct. 2023
The Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace, a group of Catholic clergy and laity in India, wrote a letter to Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai urging bishops to attend to the increasing attacks by far-right Hindu nationalist groups against Indian Christians, according to Crux Now.
—Fox News, 18 Feb. 2022
See all Example Sentences for laity
Dictionary Entries Near laity
Cite this Entry
“Laity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laity. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laity
noun
la·ity
ˈlā-ət-ē 
plural laities
1
: the people of a religious faith who are not members of its clergy
2
: persons not of a particular profession
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