laity

noun

la·​ity ˈlā-ə-tē 

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

Examples 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

Bishops and laity grapple for control of papal agendas, and all grapple with the watershed reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), known as Vatican II. —Mary Jo McConahay, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025

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

Word History

Etymology

lay entry 5

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for laity

• gayety

Kids 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