lay reader

noun

Anglican Church.

1. a layperson authorized by a bishop to conduct certain parts of a service.

lay reader

noun

1. Church of England a person licensed by a bishop to conduct religious services other than the Eucharist

2. RC Church a layman chosen from among the congregation to read the epistle at Mass and sometimes other prayers

Word History and Origins

Origin of lay reader¹

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

When it dives deep into the scoring itself, it’s a musicological feast that even tin-eared lay readers can appreciate.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A lay reader may find this wordy description difficult to grasp.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But the historians suggest this was a “literary device” to make the story more exciting and understandable to lay readers.

Read more on Seattle Times

Graeber had mastered the art of pulling new research out of his home field and contextualizing it for the lay reader.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the short time since the study was released online, Al-Aly said he has seen lay readers draw misguided conclusions.

Read more on Washington Post