laity

1. a. The people, as distinguished from the clergy; the body of the people not in orders. Source: opted

2. a. The state of a layman. Source: opted

3. a. Those who are not of a certain profession, as law or medicine, in distinction from those belonging to it. Source: opted

4. n. in Christianity, members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy Source: wordnet

5. 1. The people, as distinguished from the clergy; the body of the people not in orders. A rising up of the laity against the sacerdotal caste. Macaulay. 2. The state of a layman. [Obs.] Ayliffe. 3. Those who are not of a certain profession, as law or medicine, in distinction from those belonging to it. Source: webster

6. n:100 n. in Christianity, members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy Source: ecdict

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