SECULAR • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Secular

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/sˈɛkjələr/ Listen

adjective

Secular adj.

1.

Coming or observed once in an age or a century. "The secular year was kept but once a century."

2.

Pertaining to an age, or the progress of ages, or to a long period of time; accomplished in a long progress of time; as, secular inequality; the secular refrigeration of the globe.

3.

Of or pertaining to this present world, or to things not spiritual or holy; relating to temporal as distinguished from eternal interests; not immediately or primarily respecting the soul, but the body; worldly. "New foes arise, Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains."

4.

(Eccl.) Not regular; not bound by monastic vows or rules; not confined to a monastery, or subject to the rules of a religious community; as, a secular priest. "He tried to enforce a stricter discipline and greater regard for morals, both in the religious orders and the secular clergy."

5.

Belonging to the laity; lay; not clerical. "I speak of folk in secular estate."

Secular equation (Astron.), the algebraic or numerical expression of the magnitude of the inequalities in a planet's motion that remain after the inequalities of a short period have been allowed for.

Secular games (Rom. Antiq.), games celebrated, at long but irregular intervals, for three days and nights, with sacrifices, theatrical shows, combats, sports, and the like.

Secular music, any music or songs not adapted to sacred uses.

Secular hymn or Secular poem, a hymn or poem composed for the secular games, or sung or rehearsed at those games.

noun

Secular n.

1.

(Eccl.) A secular ecclesiastic, or one not bound by monastic rules.

2.

(Eccl.) A church official whose functions are confined to the vocal department of the choir.

3.

A layman, as distinguished from a clergyman.

See images of 'Secular'

Etymology of 'Secular'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Secular" Quotes from Famous Books

... Freedmen's Bureau had accomplished nothing else,—and it did accomplish much, especially in education—it would have been justified merely by giving Armstrong his opportunity. Next he turned to private benevolence. Of the various organizations, church and secular, that were devising and doing for the freedmen, perhaps the most efficient was the American Missionary Association. From its officers Armstrong won response, sympathy, contributions. He had to face the difficulties ...

— The Negro and the Nation - A History of American Slavery and Enfranchisement • George S. Merriam

... the sea inflicted upon them repeated inundations. They forced their priests to marry, saying that the man who had no wife necessarily sought for the wife of another. They acknowledged no ecclesiastical decree, if secular judges, double the number of the priests, did not bear a part in it. Thus the spirit of liberty burst forth in all their proceedings, and they were justified in ...

— Holland - The History of the Netherlands • Thomas Colley Grattan

... word, hint, or idea, that the earl or alderman (that is to say, the Prepositus (presiding officer) of the court, which is tantamount to the judge on the bench) is to take upon him to judge the delinquent in any sense whatever, the sole purport of his office is to teach the secular or worldly ...

— An Essay on the Trial By Jury • Lysander Spooner

... of the Republic of the United States of America, is the most important secular event in the history of the human race. It did not disentangle the confused theory of the origin of Government, but cut through the bonds of power existing by prescription, at a blow; and thus directly and immediately affected the opinions and the actions of men in every part of the civilized ...

— Life and Public Services of John Quincy Adams - Sixth President of the Unied States • William H. Seward

... your ability,' he would say. 'Of course you must take care of the motives—right motives—always.' The long reaches that were like one and the same reach, monotonous bends that were exactly alike, slipped past the steamer with their multitude of secular trees looking patiently after this grimy fragment of another world, the forerunner of change, of conquest, of trade, of massacres, of blessings. I looked ahead—piloting. 'Close the shutter,' said ...

— Heart of Darkness • Joseph Conrad

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