layperson

noun

lay·​per·​son ˈlā-ˌpər-sᵊn 

plural laypeople ˈlā-ˌpē-pəl  also laypersons

1

: a member of the laity (see laity sense 1)

Unitarian Universalists are also active advocates for trans rights, and we have many LGBTQ+ clergy and laypeople in our congregations today.

—Jim Merritt

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha will award the Marian Medal to 79 laypersons from parishes throughout the Fall River Diocese …

—Mansfield (Massachusetts) News

2

: a person who does not belong to a particular profession or who is not expert or versed in some field

Intended for the layperson, this book uses straightforward language to aid in identifying more than 500 medicinal plants.

—Mark Blumenthal

Technically, it's called "Ultimate," but most laypeople need the "Frisbee" attached to make an association.

—Joe Miller

Examples of layperson in a Sentence

a meeting between clergy and laypeople

Recent Examples on the Web

Those names may not mean much to a layperson, but all have, at times, been sentenced to years in prison for international animal smuggling. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026

These creators are savvy online marketers who can dizzy a layperson with complex discussions of ROI, content stream diversification and fan-intake funnels. — Gustavo Turner, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026

Wilding’s evidence seems obvious in hindsight, even to a layperson. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 8 June 2026

Our dashboards should be immediately legible to a layperson. — Ashoka, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for layperson

• chairperson
• salesperson
• businessperson
• person
• worsen

Kids Definition

layperson

noun

lay·​per·​son ˈlā-ˌpərs-ᵊn 

: a member of the laity