layperson

American  

[ley-pur-suhn] / ˈleɪˌpɜr sən /

noun

1. a person who is not a member of the clergy; one of the laity.

2. a person who is not a member of a given profession, as law or medicine.

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Usage

What does layperson mean? Layperson is used in a religious context to refer to a person who is a regular member of a religious congregation and not a member of the clergy—that is, a layperson is someone who is not a religious official like a priest. The term clergy collectively refers to people who have been ordained or otherwise serve as religious leaders or officials, such as priests, rabbis, and nuns. The plural of layperson is laypeople. In a religious context, laypeople can be collectively referred to as the laity. The word layman specifically refers to a man, but it is often used regardless of gender. However, layperson is truly gender-neutral. Layperson is perhaps even more commonly used outside of a religious context to refer to a person who is not a member of a particular profession or who is not an expert in or knowledgeable about a particular field. The phrase layperson’s terms means plain language that the average person can understand, as opposed to technical jargon that can only be understood by experts in the topic or those who are already familiar with it. When someone asks for an explanation in layperson’s terms, they want it to be as simple and straightforward as possible, so that it can be understood by a layperson—a nonexpert. The phrase layman’s terms means the same thing and is more commonly used. Example: She has built a career as a science writer by explaining complex topics in a way that is accessible to the layperson.

Gender

See -person.

Etymology

Origin of layperson

First recorded in 1970–75; lay(man) + -person

Example Sentences

David and Margaret meet in England in 1963, where David is a popular young priest and Margaret, though a layperson, is working at his side to teach theology to female seminarians.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Once in Kerala, the film whizzes through a checklist of things a layperson might associate with the tourist-favourite state - its famous backwaters, the ubiquitous coconut trees, toddy, elephants, and Onam, its most popular festival.

From BBC • Sep. 5, 2025

“I’m just a layperson, one of hundreds of millions in this country, watching scary, extreme weather become the new normal,” she explained in an email.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2024

That relationship was complex and perhaps illicit, and, like much else in this speculative financial world, too complicated for a layperson to understand.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2023

She could tell that Dickinson was a layperson where ships were concerned, and she made smart guesses about where and how Dickinson had obtained her information.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield