laywomen
Nonclerical church women
Laywomen is the plural of laywoman, denoting women who are not ordained clergy or who lack professional expertise in a particular field.
In religious contexts, laywomen are female members of a congregation who participate in church life without holding clerical office.
In professional contexts, the term distinguishes non-specialists from experts: The report was written so that laywomen could understand the medical findings.
The male equivalent is laymen, and the gender-neutral term is laypeople.
Assembled group of worshippers
- parishionersMembers of local congregation
- believersThose having faith
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
- flockAnimals gathered together
worshipers · devotees · adherents · disciples · sisters · brethren · congregants · communicants
Nonprofessional participant
- untrainedLacking learned skills
- nonexpertOne lacking specialized knowledge
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- unordainedNot formally consecrated
unconsecrated · nonclergy · parishioner · congregant · helper · assistant · catechist
Not involving worship
- worldlyExperienced in practical affairs
- civilianNon-military person
- nonclericalNot of clergy
- temporalRelating to chronology
mundane · profane · unchurched · unaffiliated · nonpracticing · irreligious · humanist · agnostic
Bond among women
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
- networkInterconnected system
- circleCurved closed shape
- collectiveJointly organized group
association · guild · sodality · auxiliary · altar society · choir · outreach · charity
congregation
Assembled group of worshippers
- parishionersMembers of local congregation
- believersThose having faith
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
flock · worshipers · devotees · adherents · disciples · sisters · brethren · congregants · communicants · churchgoers
amateur
Nonprofessional participant
- untrainedLacking learned skills
- nonexpertOne lacking specialized knowledge
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
unordained · unconsecrated · nonclergy · parishioner · congregant · helper · assistant · catechist
nonreligious
Not involving worship
- worldlyExperienced in practical affairs
- civilianNon-military person
- nonclericalNot of clergy
temporal · mundane · profane · unchurched · unaffiliated · nonpracticing · irreligious · humanist · agnostic · atheist
sisterhood
Bond among women
- fellowshipMutual goodwill among companions
- networkInterconnected system
- circleCurved closed shape
collective · association · guild · sodality · auxiliary · altar society · choir · outreach · charity · mission
- nonexpertslaypersons, amateurs, novices, nonexperts, nonprofessionals
- Catholic ministrycatechists, evangelization, religious education, RCIA, youth ministry
- Buddhist Nunsabbess
laywomennuns
Female religious monastics
clergywomen · priestesses · clergy · religious sisters · sisters