lay people
Ordinary church members
Lay people are those without specialized knowledge or professional credentials in a particular field.
Doctors explain procedures to lay people, lawyers simplify contracts for lay people, and scientists communicate findings to lay audiences.
In religious contexts, lay people are members of a congregation who aren't clergy.
The term distinguishes ordinary folks from experts or officials.
- amateurNonprofessional participant
- civilianNon-military person
- plain folksOrdinary, unpretentious individuals
- nonexpertOne lacking specialized knowledge
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
generalist · unordained · parishioner · nonprofessional · secular · uninitiated · commoner · nonspecialist · hobbyist · believer · everyman · average Joe · man on the street · worshipper · churchgoer · untrained · novice · public
- commonerscommoner, commoners, peasant, peasants, serfs
- Theravada BuddhismTheravada, sutta, Vinaya, vinaya, monks
- Buddhist servicedana, almsgiving, alms giving, alms, meditation aid
lay peopleclergy
Ordained religious officials collectively
priests · ordained ministers · clerics · religious leaders · rabbis
lay peopleexperts
Highly skilled practitioners
specialists · professionals · authorities · practitioners · technicians
lay peopleofficials
Those holding formal power
insiders · leadership · functionaries · officers · administrators