Secular (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy; "set his collar in laic rather than clerical position"; "the lay ministry".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The church's secular wing opposed the clergy's involvement in politics.
- He set his collar in laic rather than clerical position, signaling his transition to a secular role.
- The organization's secular leadership focused on community outreach rather than religious doctrine.
- The secular ministry aimed to provide support to those in need, regardless of their faith.
- In a secular ceremony, the couple exchanged vows without any religious rituals or clergy present.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Of or relating to the doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations.
Classification
Relational adjectives (pertainyms).
Examples
- The politician's secular views were seen as a refreshing change from the usual rhetoric of her opponents.
- The secular humanists argued that morality and ethics could be established without the need for religious doctrine.
- The country's secular government ensured that all citizens were free to practice their own religions without interference from the state.
- The artist's secular themes explored the human condition in a way that was accessible to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
- The secular tradition of the university was upheld in its founding documents, which committed to the pursuit of knowledge without bias or dogma.
Related Words
Meaning 3
Not concerned with or devoted to religion; "sacred and profane music"; "secular drama"; "secular architecture"; "children being brought up in an entirely profane environment".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The town council passed a resolution ensuring the construction of secular architecture, excluding any reference to specific deities.
- Children who grew up in secular schools without being taught the ways of faith developed entirely different outlooks on the purpose of existence.
- For this annual exhibition, our organizers emphasized including performances like the classical dances within secular music pieces rather than classical chants with scriptural basis.
- Composing such intense lyrics based in humanity more so than religiosity let John envision "Secular Psalm".
- Following parents getting jobs which also welcomed parents at festivals both traditionally 'spiritual and/or carnivals'.
Synonyms
Meaning 4
Of or relating to clergy not bound by monastic vows; "the secular clergy".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The diocese employed a combination of secular clergy and monastic orders to provide pastoral care to the faithful.
- Secular clergy, such as parish priests, are expected to serve the broader community beyond the monastery.
- Unlike the monastic orders, secular clergy do not take vows of poverty or chastity.
- In medieval times, the secular clergy played a key role in advising secular rulers on matters of state.
- Secular clergy, often known as diocesan clergy, live in the world and work closely with laypeople in their daily ministry.
Antonyms
Meaning 5
Characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world; "worldly goods and advancement"; "temporal possessions of the church".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Heritage status had raised its profile but keeping such ancient halls fresh could demand further fund raisers reliant upon individual contributors inspired from deep human empathic incentives albeit well enough appreciable largely than solemn chanting the phrases evincing spirit detached since brought anew quite solemn were definitely mostly into popular often these otherwise profoundly different characteristics depicted somehow there its high above ever usually merely expressed unobjectionably however secular.
- Educational institutions have taken advantage of this sense by calling their curriculum based non religious academic instructions and courses secular against long long years of traditions and histories along which learning used to refer studying about divine matters while that kind of thing faded just enough as governments got involved even more increasingly with this issue.
- The reason we should remain secular would be in consideration of cultural diversity that every people coming into this society may expect being respected without depending on what all various precepts they know.
- People often would not only get confused about the existence of heaven they but also get corrupted once believing a reward awaits us there whenever we have lived up to an expectation of how one should act moralistically while neglecting the worldly benefit that we in fact derive from behaving morally over period of lifetime.
- Rising education provides foundation for secular values that reject absolute authority of the church so as to facilitate critical thinking and judgment based information from knowledge of real world.