Definition of SECULAR

Other Words from secular

Adjective

secularity \ˌse-kyə-ˈler-ə-tē,

-ˈla-rə- \ noun

secularly \ˈse-kyə-lər-lē

\ adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for secular

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

Did You Know?

Adjective

Secular comes from Anglo-French seculer and Late Latin saecularis, meaning "worldly" or "pagan." In earlier Latin, however, saecularis meant "coming or observed once in an age;" it was derived from "saeculum" ("breed," "generation," or "age"). In contemporary English, "secular" is primarily used to distinguish something (such as an attitude, belief, or position) that is not specifically religious or sectarian in nature, but, going back to its early Latin root, the word also means "occuring once in an age or a century," "existing or continuing through ages or centuries," and "of or relating to a long term of indefinite duration." These uses of "secular" are common in the fields of science and economics - "secular oak trees" or "secular inflation," for example.

Examples of secular in a Sentence

Adjective

Bloomberg, by contrast, would be the most pro-immigration, pro-free trade, pro-Wall Street candidate in the race. The third-party candidate he would most resemble is John Anderson, the fiscally responsible, culturally liberal Republican who ran as an Independent in 1980. Anderson won 7% of the vote, mostly among the young, educated and secular. But today those people are partisan Democrats. — Peter Beinart, Time, 11 Feb. 2008 In the early twentieth century, priests and religious built centers for Catholic study and worship on secular campuses. — Maurice Timothy Reidy, Commonweal, 7 Apr. 2006 Some women, indeed, achieved great renown for their religious scholarship, becoming role models for their peers and silently challenging men, who for so long had held a monopoly in this area. Though they never carried the title of "rabbi" and in many cases eschewed the controversial "f-word" (feminism) altogether, these Orthodox women produced no less a revolution in the late twentieth century than women did in so many other realms, religious and secular alike. By challenging Judaism, they ended up strengthening Judaism. — Jonathan D. Sarna, American Judaism, 2004 The reforms of the nineteenth century and the needs of commercial and other contacts with Europe led to the enactment of new laws, modeled on those of Europe—commercial, civil, criminal, and finally constitutional. In the traditional order the only lawyers were the ulema, the doctors of the Holy Law, at once jurists and theologians. The secular lawyer, pleading in courts administering secular law, represented a new and influential element in society. — Bernard Lewis, What Went Wrong?, 2002 Both secular and religious institutions can apply for the funds. that's an issue for the secular authorities, not the church

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Bangladesh, founded as a secular state, is facing a battle between secularism and Islamization, between culture and religion. — Jennifer Chowdhury, Marie Claire, "Why Ilhan Omar's Victory Speech Starting With an Islamic Greeting Is So Important," 9 Nov. 2018 His father was raised Quaker, and his mother was Jewish—but neither were at all religious, and Sam had a wholly secular upbringing. — Rob Reid, Ars Technica, "Ars on your lunch break: Getting high and breaking faith," 17 Oct. 2018 The runoff features Moshe Lion, a longtime political fixture backed by much of the country’s top leadership, facing off against Ofer Berkovitch, a young secular activist pushing a progressive agenda against religious hard-liners. — Aron Heller, The Seattle Times, "Jerusalem picks new mayor in round 2 of municipal elections," 13 Nov. 2018 Related There are around 100,000 Jews in Germany, and the vast majority are relatively secular and don’t outwardly display signs of their faith. — NBC News, "Anti-Semitic incidents provoke unease in Berlin," 11 May 2018 The 35-year-old Berkovitch heads a joint group of secular and modern-Orthodox Jews that makes up the largest block of the incoming council. — Aron Heller, The Seattle Times, "Jerusalem picks new mayor in round 2 of municipal elections," 13 Nov. 2018 The Rio de Janeiro state prosecutors’ office has been investigating since last year whether Crivella has violated the principle that the state should be secular. — Washington Post, "Rio city council votes against opening impeachment of mayor," 12 July 2018 The idea that modesty can be a secular and feminist option, an individual’s woman’s choice to show less rather than more an act of empowerment, has been anathema. — Rafia Zakaria, The New Republic, "The Feminist Future of Modesty," 12 June 2018 Not without an uproar from the secular and non-Catholic public. — refinery29.com, "Has Catholicism Earned This "Fashion" Moment?," 3 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The anti-Erdogan camp used to be composed of disparate groups, including Turkish and Kurdish nationalists, seculars and even some Islamists. — Soner Cagaptay, Time, "Four Things to Watch in Turkey's Elections," 21 June 2018 In the secular, bottom-line world Byrne inhabits, patience is in short supply and results are demanded. — Rainer Sabin, AL.com, "Greg Goff believes Alabama will be better in 2018," 18 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'secular.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.