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Webster 1913 Edition


Layman

Lay′man

Noun.
;
pl.
Laymen
.
[
Lay
,
Adj.
+
man
.]
1.
One of the people, in distinction from the clergy; one of the laity; sometimes, a man not belonging to some particular profession, in distinction from those who do.
Being a
layman
, I ought not to have concerned myself with speculations which belong to the profession.
Dryden.
2.
A lay figure. See under
Lay
,
Noun.
(above).
Dryden

Webster 1828 Edition


Layman

LA'YMAN

,
Noun.
la'man. [lay and man.]
1.
A man who is not a clergyman; one of the laity or people, distinct from the clergy.
2.
An image used by painters in contriving attitudes.
3.
A lay-clerk.

Definition 2024


layman

layman

English

Noun

layman (plural laymen)

  1. layperson, someone who is not an ordained cleric or member of the clergy
  2. by analogy, someone who is not a professional in a given field
    Carmen is not a professional anthropologist, but strictly a layman.
    Let me explain it to you in layman's terms.
  3. a common person
  4. a person who is untrained or lacks knowledge of a subject
    • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 221d.
      should he be held to be just a layman, or does he have some art?
  5. a generally ignorant person
  6. lay-sister or lay-brother, person received into a convent of monks, following the vows, but not being member of the order

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