English
laic
Laic comes from French laïque ‘lay, secular’, from Latin lāicus ‘common people’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek λαός.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλαόςlaós‘people’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElāicus‘common people’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlaïque‘lay, secular’
- Englishearliest quotation 1644laic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλαόςlaós‘people’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElāicus‘common people’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlaïque‘lay, secular’
- Englishearliest quotation 1644laic
Earliest quotation: 1644, John Milton: “And in conclusion it reflects to the disrepute of…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leh₂w- ‘military action’
through Proto-Hellenic *lāwós ‘people, crowd’
through Ancient Greek λαός ‘people’
through Latin lāicus ‘common people’
Today it means
noun A layperson as opposed to a cleric, i.e. not a member of the clergy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek λαός / laic