layman

Meaning

1. Layperson, someone who is not an ordained cleric or member of the clergy.
2. Someone who is not a professional in a given field.
3. A common person.
4. A person who is untrained or lacks knowledge of a subject.
5. Lay-sister or lay-brother, person received into a convent of monks, following the vows, but not being member of the order.

Synonyms

layperson

laity

amateur

secular

laic

follower

nonprofessional

ignoramus

outsider

believer

adherent

peasant

worldling

lay person

ordinary people

out of one’s line

laical

devout layman

lay devoter

pious Buddhist

house-holder

churchman

common people

countryman

countrywoman

householder

inexpert

lay

laywoman

non-professional

parishioner

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈleɪmən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: layman

Cognate with Old Frisian: lēkmann

Cognate with Dutch: leekeman

Cognate with Old High German: leihman

Cognate with Danish: lægmand

Cognate with Swedish: lekman

Cognate with Norwegian: lekmann

Cognate with Icelandic: leikmaður

In summary

From Middle English layman, lay man, equivalent to lay (“non-clergy”) + man. Cognate with Old Frisian lēkmann, lēkmonn (“layman”), obsolete Dutch leekeman (“layman”), Old High German leihman (“layman”), Danish lægmand (“layman”), Swedish lekman (“layman”), Norwegian lekmann (“layman”), Icelandic leikmaður (“layman”).