laity
noun
la·ity
| \ ˈlā-ə-tē
\
\
Definition of laity
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
The canon does allow bishops to permit supplementary preaching by the laity when necessary or particularly advantageous. — Declan Leary, National Review, "What America Magazine Gets Wrong about the Mass," 24 July 2019 Among the laity there are now serious efforts to draft and institute reforms that would ensure bishops tell the truth and are held accountable. — William Mcgurn, WSJ, "When the Cardinal Sins," 30 July 2018 Their 2,300-page report, containing testimony from 64 victims, priests and laity, prompted Francis to do an about-face. — Washington Post, "Pope to give Chilean bishops a dressing-down on abuse errors," 14 May 2018 The laity should reclaim its centrality in the church. — Garry Wills, The New York Review of Books, "Garry Wills," 29 June 2016 Some Catholic commentators have speculated that Farrell must have at least heard the rumors that Catholic laity, students and professors at Catholic University in Washington and even some journalists had heard. — Nicole Winfield, The Seattle Times, "US Vatican cardinal: “Not once did I even suspect” McCarrick," 31 July 2018 Their 2,300-page report, containing testimony from 64 victims, priests and laity, prompted Francis to do an about-face. — Washington Post, "Pope to give Chilean bishops a dressing-down on abuse errors," 14 May 2018 Their 2,300-page report, containing testimony from 64 victims, priests and laity, prompted Francis to do an about-face. — Washington Post, "Pope to give Chilean bishops a dressing-down on abuse errors," 14 May 2018 Their 2,300-page report, containing testimony from 64 victims, priests and laity, prompted Francis to do an about-face. — Nicole Winfield, The Seattle Times, "Pope to give Chilean bishops a dressing-down on abuse errors," 12 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'laity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for laity
laity
noun
English Language Learners Definition of laity
: the people of a religion who are not priests, ministers, etc.
See the full definition for laity in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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