secular Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person
    layperson; layman.
  2. adjective of or relating to the doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations
  3. adjective characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world
    temporal; worldly.
    • worldly goods and advancement
    • temporal possessions of the church
  4. adjective not concerned with or devoted to religion
    profane.
    • sacred and profane music
    • secular drama
    • secular architecture", "children being brought up in an entirely profane environment
  5. adjective of or relating to clergy not bound by monastic vows
    • the secular clergy
  6. adjective satellite characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy
    laic; lay.
    • set his collar in laic rather than clerical position
    • the lay ministry

WordNet

Sec"u*lar adjective
Etymology
OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. séculier.
Definitions
  1. Coming or observed once in an age or a century.
    The secular year was kept but once a century. Addison.
  2. Pertaining to an age, or the progress of ages, or to a long period of time; accomplished in a long progress of time; as, secular inequality; the secular refrigeration of the globe.
  3. Of or pertaining to this present world, or to things not spiritual or holy; relating to temporal as distinguished from eternal interests; not immediately or primarily respecting the soul, but the body; worldly.
    New foes arise, Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains. Milton.
  4. (Eccl.) Not regular; not bound by monastic vows or rules; not confined to a monastery, or subject to the rules of a religious community; as, a secular priest.
    He tried to enforce a stricter discipline and greater regard for morals, both in the religious orders and the secular clergy. Prescett.
  5. Belonging to the laity; lay; not clerical.
    I speak of folk in secular estate. Chaucer.
Sec"u*lar noun
Definitions
  1. (Eccl.) A secular ecclesiastic, or one not bound by monastic rules. Burke.
  2. (Eccl.) A church official whose functions are confined to the vocal department of the choir. Busby.
  3. A layman, as distinguished from a clergyman.

Webster 1913