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Definition of lay adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

lay

adjective
 
/leɪ/
 
/leɪ/
[only before noun]
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  1. not having expert knowledge or professional qualifications in a particular subject
    • His book explains the theory for the lay public.
  2. not in an official position in the Church
    • a lay preacher
    Topics Religion and festivalsc2
  3. see also layman, laywoman
    Word Originverb Old English lecgan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch leggen and German legen, also to lie.
See lay in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee lay in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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