Definitions for secular
ˈsɛk yə lərsec·u·lar

Princeton's WordNet(2.10 / 10 votes)Rate this definition:

1. layman, layperson, secular(adj)

   someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person

2. secular(adj)

   of or relating to the doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations

3. worldly, secular, temporal(adj)

   characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world

   "worldly goods and advancement"; "temporal possessions of the church"

4. profane, secular(adj)

   not concerned with or devoted to religion

   "sacred and profane music"; "secular drama"; "secular architecture", "children being brought up in an entirely profane environment"

5. secular(adj)

   of or relating to clergy not bound by monastic vows

   "the secular clergy"

6. laic, lay, secular(adj)

   characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy

   "set his collar in laic rather than clerical position"; "the lay ministry"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. secular(Adjective)

   Not specifically religious.

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

2. secular(Adjective)

   Temporal; something that is worldly or otherwise not based on something timeless.

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

3. secular(Adjective)

   Not bound by the vows of a monastic order.

   secular clergy in Catholicism

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

4. secular(Adjective)

   Happening once in an age or century.

   The secular games of ancient Rome were held to mark the end of a saeculum and the beginning of the next.

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

5. secular(Adjective)

   Continuing over a long period of time, long-term.

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

6. secular(Adjective)

   Of or pertaining to long-term non-periodic irregularities, especially in planetary motion.

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

7. secular(Adjective)

   Unperturbed over time.

   Etymology: saecularis, from saeculum

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Secular(adj)

   coming or observed once in an age or a century

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

2. Secular(adj)

   pertaining to an age, or the progress of ages, or to a long period of time; accomplished in a long progress of time; as, secular inequality; the secular refrigeration of the globe

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

3. Secular(adj)

   of or pertaining to this present world, or to things not spiritual or holy; relating to temporal as distinguished from eternal interests; not immediately or primarily respecting the soul, but the body; worldly

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

4. Secular(adj)

   not regular; not bound by monastic vows or rules; not confined to a monastery, or subject to the rules of a religious community; as, a secular priest

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

5. Secular(adj)

   belonging to the laity; lay; not clerical

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

6. Secular(noun)

   a secular ecclesiastic, or one not bound by monastic rules

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

7. Secular(noun)

   a church official whose functions are confined to the vocal department of the choir

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

8. Secular(noun)

   a layman, as distinguished from a clergyman

   Etymology: [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis, fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world; perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. sculier.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Secular

   sek′ū-lar, adj. pertaining to an age or generation: coming or observed only once in a century: permanent: lay or civil, as opposed to clerical: (geol.) gradually becoming appreciable in the course of ages: pertaining to the present world, or to things not spiritual: not bound by monastic rules.—n. a layman: an ecclesiastic, as a parish priest, not bound by monastic rules.—n. Secularisa′tion, the state of being secularised.—v.t. Sec′ularise, to make secular: to convert from spiritual to common use.—ns. Sec′ularism; Sec′ularist, one who, discarding religious belief and worship, applies himself exclusively to the things of this life: one who holds that education should be apart from religion; Secular′ity, state of being secular or worldly: worldliness.—adv. Sec′ularly.—n. Sec′ularness. [L. secularis—seculum, an age, a generation.]

Anagrams for secular »

1. recusal

How to pronounce secular?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say secular in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of secular in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of secular in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of secular in a Sentence

1. Billy Graham:

   America's founding fathers did not intend to take religion out of education. Many of the nation's greatest universities were founded by evangelists and religious leaders; but many of these have lost the founders concept and become secular institutions. Because of this attitude, secular education is stumbling and floundering.

2. Charlie Hebdo editor Gerard Briard:

   We are a secular, democratic and atheist newspaper, the term blasphemy has no meaning for us.

3. Jessica Levinson:

   Make no mistake, the current court is conservative and the case could be part of a steady march toward interpreting the Free Exercise Clause to require states to treat some secular and religious institutions as equally deserving of public funds church, meet a very welcoming state.

4. Dr Arnold:

   Thus, for some people, believing in apocalypse-like prophecies may help with this worry and anxiety by giving them something to focus on and a goal to strive toward, for religious prophecies this goal may involve positioning yourself to be one of the chosen ‘saved’ on the day the world ends, whereas for secular prophecies (such as Y2K) the goal may be focused on preparing to survive the potentially harsh conditions created by a catastrophic event.

5. Doug Cohen:

   It’s always hard to be extremely bullish on a sector that is likely in secular decline, and the traditional fossil fuel sector is very likely in secular decline.

Images & Illustrations of secular

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