laity

/ˈleɪədi/

If you are a member of a religious group, but you are not an ordained minister or priest, then you are a member of the laity. Sometimes members of the laity will play a role in the church service, for example, doing one of the readings or running a youth group.

The noun laity is from the word lay, and lay person has a similar church meaning. The word lay itself is from the Greek word laikos meaning "of the people." The meaning of the word laity is sometimes expanded to refer to non-professionals workers, as opposed to professionals in a field. Volunteers are the laity of elementary education, and if you volunteer at a school, you can make a huge difference in a child's life.

Definitions of laity

1. noun

   in Christianity, members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy
   synonyms: temporalty

   antonyms:

   clergy

   in Christianity, clergymen collectively (as distinguished from the laity)

   type of:

   hoi polloi, mass, masses, multitude, people, the great unwashed

   the common people generally