Laicize
/ˈleɪ.ə.saɪz/noun
To make or declare someone or something secular rather than religious.
Did you know?Laicize comes from the same ancient Greek root as *laity* and *layman*, so its history is literally about moving something out of the priestly sphere and back into ordinary human hands.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
laikos
“of the people; belonging to the common people, not the clergy”
Late Latin
Latin
laicus
“lay, secular, not clerical”
Old French
Old French
laïque
“lay, secular; not belonging to the clergy”
16th Century
English
laic
“of or relating to the laity; secular”
19th Century
English
laicize
“to make secular; to remove from clerical status”
Modern English
English
laicize
“to make or declare secular, especially by removing from religious office”