layperson
noun
lay·per·son
ˈlā-ˌpər-sᵊn 
plural laypeople
ˈlā-ˌpē-pəl
also laypersons
also laypersons
1
: a member of the laity (see laity sense 1)
It [the Vatican] permitted groups of laypeople to apply to their local bishop and, after affirming loyalty to Vatican II, receive an indult allowing limited celebration of the 1962 missal.—
Peter Jeffrey
Peter JeffreyBishop Edgar M. da Cunha will award the Marian Medal to 79 laypersons from parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese …—Mansfield (Massachusetts) News
Mansfield (Massachusetts) News2
: a person who does not belong to a particular profession or who is not expert or versed in some field
Intended for the layperson, this book uses straightforward language to aid in identifying more than 500 medicinal plants.—Mark Blumenthal
Mark BlumenthalTechnically, it's called "Ultimate," but most laypeople need the "Frisbee" attached to make an association.—Joe Miller
Joe MillerExamples of layperson in a Sentence
a meeting between clergy and laypeople
Recent Examples on the Web
The project now relies more on forest thinning and less on methods that, to a layperson, can look much like clear-cuts.
—April Ehrlich, ProPublica, 12 Nov. 2024
To have a follower recount a feat of superhuman strength, or even an apparition, is hard for a layperson to fathom but has the advantage of having happened in the past and out of the view of nonbelievers.
—Joseph Bien-Kahn, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2024
In layperson’s terms, the ride is buttery-smooth over even the harshest impacts.
—Michael Harley, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Changing World, Changing Role Not so long ago, before cyberspace existed (at least to the layperson), marketing was a 20th-century professional discipline that relied on channels such as print, television and radio.
—Mike Maynard, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for layperson 
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April Ehrlich, ProPublica, 12 Nov. 2024
To have a follower recount a feat of superhuman strength, or even an apparition, is hard for a layperson to fathom but has the advantage of having happened in the past and out of the view of nonbelievers.
—Joseph Bien-Kahn, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2024
In layperson’s terms, the ride is buttery-smooth over even the harshest impacts.
—Michael Harley, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Changing World, Changing Role Not so long ago, before cyberspace existed (at least to the layperson), marketing was a 20th-century professional discipline that relied on channels such as print, television and radio.
—Mike Maynard, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for layperson
Dictionary Entries Near layperson
Cite this Entry
“Layperson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/layperson. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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layperson
noun
lay·per·son
ˈlā-ˌpərs-ᵊn
: a member of the laity
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