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layperson
This term describes an individual lacking professional or specialized training in a specific discipline. It carries a neutral connotation of being an outsider to a technical circle, often used in legal, medical, or academic contexts to describe the intended audience for simplified explanations. In a religious context, it specifically distinguishes the general congregation from the ordained clergy. While the word is countable, it is frequently used in the plural form "laypeople" to refer to the collective body of non-experts or non-clergy.
Meanings
A person who is not an expert or a professional in a particular field of study or activity.
"The complex legal jargon was translated into simple terms so that a layperson could understand the contract."
A member of a religious congregation who is not ordained as a priest or minister.
"The church council consists of both ordained clergy and laypeople who manage the parish finances."