In layman's terms, what is a layman?

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In layman's terms, what is a layman?

Question #74061. Asked by rixbix.
Last updated Jul 21 2021.

lanfranco
Answer has 3 votes

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lanfranco
20 year member
4170 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

Originally, it referred to someone who was not a member of the clergy. It is now used to describe someone who does not possess professional, technical knowledge of a given field:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layman

Jan 02 2007, 2:58 PM

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Answer 1

The term layman originated from the use of the term laity, but over the centuries, changed definition to mean "a person who is a non-expert in a given field of knowledge".

The concept of describing something in layman's terms has come into wide use in the English speaking world. To put something in layman's terms is to describe a complex or technical issue using words and terms that the average individual (someone without professional training in the subject area) can understand, so that they may comprehend the issue to some degree.

https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/231258

Answer 2

The reason for the shift in meaning is that at one time only 'clerics' were educated. The universities at first existed mainly to train people for the priesthood, so someone who was not of the priesthood would be regarded as less able to understand things.

Answer 3

queproblema
Answer has 2 votes

queproblema
19 year member
2119 replies

Answer has 2 votes.

To apply Occam's razor to this answer, here is the definition of "layman" in layman's terms. No reference would be required or possible.

Layman--a person who isn't an expert or professional

Jan 04 2007, 1:01 AM

In layman's terms, what is a layman?

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