laity
n.people who are not members of a religious group or who do not have a special religious job. It usually refers to ordinary people who are not priests, ministers, or monks.
n.the body of ordinary people in a religion who are not members of the clergy or the monastic orders. Often used in the plural to refer to the general public in a secular context.
“The priest spoke to the laity about the new church rules.”
“The church leadership decided to involve the laity more in the decision-making process for the new community center.”
“While the clergy manage the spiritual aspects of the parish, the laity are responsible for the practical administration and maintenance of the physical buildings.”
“During COVID-19, for example, the laity did not go into the temples for fear of contracting the virus.”
From Anglo-Norman laite, from Latin laitas, from Ancient Greek λαός (laós, “people”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.