lay person
Untrained everyday person
A lay person is someone without specialized training or expertise in a particular field.
The term distinguishes ordinary people from professionals or clergy: The manual is written for the lay person, not the engineer.
In religious contexts, lay people are church members who aren't ordained.
Also spelled layperson or as two words.
Member of a congregation
- congregantMember of a worship assembly
- churchgoerOne attending religious services
- flockAnimals gathered together
- believerOne who accepts something
worshipper · devotee · faithful · member · pew · laity · secular · unordained
One without technical expertise
- generalistOne with broad expertise
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- non-technicalNot requiring expertise
- non-professionalLacking occupational status
uninitiated · unfamiliar · amateur · novice · beginner · accessible · simplified · plain language
Ordinary representative person
- everywomanUniversal female archetype
- citizenLegal national member
- individualOne separate human being
- publicAvailable to all
masses · populace · folk · grassroots · rank and file · man on the street · woman on the street · Joe Public
Trial panel member
- juryLegal decision-making body
- witnessOne who attests
- citizenLegal national member
- defendantParty facing charges
plaintiff · litigant · appellant · bystander · observer · non-lawyer · pro se · unrepresented
Able to wait calmly
- non-medicalNot related to healthcare
- caregiverOne providing daily assistance
- advocatePublic cause supporter
- health literacyUnderstanding medical information and systems
informed consent · diagnosis · prognosis · second opinion · symptom · treatment · consultation · bedside manner
parishioner
Member of a congregation
- congregantMember of a worship assembly
- churchgoerOne attending religious services
- flockAnimals gathered together
believer · worshipper · devotee · faithful · member · pew · laity · secular · unordained · congregation
non-specialist
One without technical expertise
- generalistOne with broad expertise
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- non-technicalNot requiring expertise
non-professional · uninitiated · unfamiliar · amateur · novice · beginner · accessible · simplified · plain language · jargon-free
everyman
Ordinary representative person
- everywomanUniversal female archetype
- citizenLegal national member
- individualOne separate human being
public · masses · populace · folk · grassroots · rank and file · man on the street · woman on the street · Joe Public · Jane Doe
juror
Trial panel member
defendant · plaintiff · litigant · appellant · bystander · observer · non-lawyer · pro se · unrepresented · civilian
patient
Able to wait calmly
- non-medicalNot related to healthcare
- caregiverOne providing daily assistance
- advocatePublic cause supporter
health literacy · informed consent · diagnosis · prognosis · second opinion · symptom · treatment · consultation · bedside manner · plain English
- ChristiansCatholics, Catholic, Protestants, Protestant, Baptist
- Buddhist monasticsmonk, nun, novice, abbot, abbess
lay personclergy
Ordained religious officials collectively
priest · clergyman · ordained minister · clergywoman · minister
lay personexpert
Highly skilled practitioner
professional · specialist · trained professional · subject matter expert · authority