layperson

noun

lay·​per·​son ˈlā-ˌpər-sᵊn 

plural laypeople ˈlā-ˌpē-pəl  also laypersons

1

: a member of the laity (see laity sense 1)

It [the Vatican] permitted groups of laypeople to apply to their local bishop and, after affirming loyalty to Vatican II, receive an indult allowing limited celebration of the 1962 missal.

—Peter Jeffrey

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha will award the Marian Medal to 79 laypersons from parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese …

—Mansfield (Massachusetts) News

2

: a person who does not belong to a particular profession or who is not expert or versed in some field

Intended for the layperson, this book uses straightforward language to aid in identifying more than 500 medicinal plants.

—Mark Blumenthal

Technically, it's called "Ultimate," but most laypeople need the "Frisbee" attached to make an association.

—Joe Miller

Examples of layperson in a Sentence

a meeting between clergy and laypeople

Recent Examples on the Web

Eggers plays the layperson with joy, marveling as anyone would, professing ignorance as anyone would. —Longreads, 27 Sep. 2024

But a layperson would never know the webpage concerned one of the most formidable families in American media; there are no names or other identifying information. —Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2024

On the contrary, Inequality and Instability will probably be somewhat intimidating for the layperson. —Gillian Tett, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2012

Despite all that, conjectures by laypersons that the illness or death of acquaintances can be traced to the vaccines are legion. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

layperson

noun

lay·​per·​son ˈlā-ˌpərs-ᵊn 

: a member of the laity