What does laity mean?
The laity means the body of people who are not clergy, particularly the lay members of a church or religious community. It is a collective term, so it normally takes the definite article: “the laity.” In institutional settings, the expression distinguishes those entrusted with religious leadership from those who belong to the wider community of believers, even though the latter may play important roles in governance, teaching, charitable work, and reform. More broadly, “the laity” can refer to ordinary people in contrast to religious or ecclesiastical authorities. The term is formal and commonly appears in discussions of religion, church administration, and the relationship between clergy and congregations. Because it focuses on a distinction between roles rather than a single activity, it is most useful in contexts where the status or authority of a group is important.
nounThe laity is the body of people who are not members of the clergy, especially within a religious organization. In broader usage, it can refer to ordinary people as distinct from religious or ecclesiastical authorities.
- The body of people who are not clergy, especially within a religious organization.
- Ordinary people, considered collectively as distinct from religious or ecclesiastical authorities.
"The laity has a formal voice in the governance of the church."
"The bishop welcomed representatives of the laity to the annual meeting."
"In a broader sense, the term may refer to the general public rather than any religious group."
The laity is the great constituency of any church: the people who receive its teaching, support its work, and hold it to account.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does laity come from?
The word was formed in the early 16th century from the adjective “lay,” meaning belonging to people who are not clergy, together with the noun-forming suffix “-ty.” “Lay” itself comes through French from Latin laicus, a term associated with the laity and with people outside the clergy. The related English forms “laic,” “laical,” and “layman” reflect the same historical distinction between ordinary people and religious officials.
How laity is actually used
Most often used in formal or institutional contexts, especially in discussions of religion, church governance, and the relationship between religious authorities and the public. It is a collective noun and is normally used with “the.”
Easily confused with laity
“Lay” describes a person who is not a member of the clergy, while “laity” is a collective noun for the people who are not clergy.