Laity vs. Layman — What's the Difference?

In religious organizations, the laity consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or lay brother.A layperson (also layman or laywoman) is a person who is not qualified in a given profession or does not have specific knowledge of a certain subject.In Christian cultures, the term lay priest was sometimes used in the past to refer to a secular priest, a diocesan priest who is not a member of a religious order.

One who is not a cleric.

Laypeople considered as a group.

One who is a nonprofessional in a given field. technical language that is hard for the layman to understand. See Usage Note at man.

All those persons who are not members of a given profession or other specialized field.

Layperson, someone who is not an ordained cleric or member of the clergy.

People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics.

(by extension) Someone who is not a professional in a given field.

The common man or woman.

A common person.

The unlearned, untrained or ignorant.

A person who is untrained or lacks knowledge of a subject.

The people, as distinguished from the clergy; the body of the people not in orders.

A generally ignorant person.

The state of a layman.

Lay-sister or lay-brother, person received into a convent of monks, following the vows, but not being member of the order.

Those who are not of a certain profession, as law or medicine, in distinction from those belonging to it.

One of the people, in distinction from the clergy; one of the laity; sometimes, a man not belonging to some particular profession, in distinction from those who do.

Everyone except the clergy

Someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person