Words / C1

SEK-y-uh-l-uh/ˈsekjələ/

Secular means not religious: a secular state, secular music. Civil can mean non-military; lay means not clergy in a church setting. Sectarian is about hostile religious groups — a nasty mix-up. Do not call a quiet person secular.

Meaning

Not religious; belonging to the state or ordinary life rather than the church.

Examples

• “It is a secular school with a comparative religion module.”
• “A secular timetable still leaves room for a faith society after hours.”
• “Secular courts are not anti-religious by definition; they are not church courts.”

Good to know

Not religious / of the civil sphere. Contrast: religious; sectarian (hostile group identity). Church vs lay is a related pair.

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