layman en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈleɪmən/
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English layman, lay man, equivalent to lay (“non-clergy”) + man. Cognate with Old Frisian lēkmann, lēkmonn (“layman”), obsolete Dutch leekeman (“layman”), Old High German leihman (“layman”), Danish lægmand (“layman”), Swedish lekman (“layman”), Norwegian lekmann (“layman”), Icelandic leikmaður (“layman”).
Meanings
- Layperson, someone who is not an ordained cleric or member of the clergy.
-
(broadly) Someone who is not a professional in a given field.
Let me explain it to you [[in layman's terms|in layman's terms]].
The layman, perhaps, is not fully aware to what extent even the popular reputations of scientists and scholars are made by that class and are inevitably affected by its views on subjects which have little to do with the merits of the real achievements.
1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 419:Carmen is not a professional anthropologist, but strictly a layman.
- A common person.
-
A person who is untrained or lacks knowledge of a subject.
should he be held to be just a layman, or does he have some art?
2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 221d:
- Lay-sister or lay-brother, person received into a convent of monks, following the vows, but not being member of the order.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| laymen | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
specialist · professional · expert
Coordinates
Deriveds
laymanship · in layman's terms · laymanism · laymanize
Hypernyms
Relateds
Translations (98)
es lego (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · it profano (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sk amatér (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · pl laik (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · de Laiin (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · gv theayagh (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · sv lekman (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sk laik (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · da lægfolk (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · mi reimana (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · mk дилета́нт (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ga tuata (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · rgn làic (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · hu laikus (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · nb lekmann (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ru неспециали́ст (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · it laico (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · cmn 俗家 (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · enm lay man (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ga tuata (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · he הדיוט (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · es aficionado (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ru миря́нин (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · bg любител (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · pt profano (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ru дилета́нт (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ja 平信徒 (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ga neamheaglaiseach (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · rgn lêic (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · sk laik (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · cs laička (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · is leikmaður (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · mk ла́ик (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ru профа́н (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · cs laik (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · hu laikus (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · enm lewed man (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · fr laïc (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · mk љу́бител (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sh làik (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · pt laico (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · cs laik (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sk laička (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ru люби́тель (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sh ла̀ик (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · cs amatér (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · nn lekmann (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · bo མི་སྐུ (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · pl laik (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · de Laie (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · sh làik (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ml അൽമായൻ (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · af leek (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · bg лаик (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · eo laiko (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · uk миря́нин (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · nl leek (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · da lægfolk (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · el λαϊκός (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · sh световњак (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · el ερασιτέχνης (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · de Laie (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sh svetovnjak (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · enm lewed man (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · pt leigo (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ast legu (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · es profano (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sv lekman (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · et ilmik (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · fr profane (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · id awam (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · is leikmaður (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · kk қарапайым діндар (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ang lǣwed (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · nb lekmann (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · da lægmand (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · mk ми́рјанин (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · gv theayagh (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · lt pasauliẽtė (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ga duine gan foghlaim (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · eo laiko (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · lt pasauliẽtis (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · nl leek (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · ga gnáthdhuine (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · pt leigo (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · sk laička (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · ja 俗人 (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · el ερασιτέχνις (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · it profano (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · es laico (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · es lego (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · fi maallikko (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · nn lekmann (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · fi maallikko (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · bg мирянин (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · cmn 平信徒 (someone who is not an ordained cleric) · da lægmand (someone who is not a professional in a given field) · sh ла̀ик (someone who is not an ordained cleric)