laity

noun

la·​ity ˈlā-ə-tē How to pronounce laity (audio)
Synonyms 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite the bishops’ protests, the laity seems to be aligning more with the president than with their shepherds. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 20 Dec. 2025 Her selection was controversial among the Black church’s leadership and laity. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026 As during the Protestant Reformation, the theological divide has extended beyond the clergy to the laity and the common faithful in the pew. — Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018 Casting contraception as a Christian concept was a remarkable—perhaps even radical—reformulation, and one to which the laity, as much as clergy and theologians, laid claim. — Literary Hub, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for laity

Word History

Etymology

lay entry 5

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of laity was in the 15th century

Rhymes for laity

See All Rhymes for laity

Browse Nearby Words

laith
laity
Laius
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

laity

noun
la·​ity ˈlā-ət-ē How to pronounce laity (audio)
plural laities
1
: the people of a religious faith who are not members of its clergy
2
: persons not of a particular profession

More from Merriam-Webster on laity

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for laity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about laity

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