Spanish Conversation · Level 95
60 words
Spanish word
secular
Pronunciation
IPA/sekuˈlaɾ/
Meaning
- adjectivenonreligious
Example
En este país la educación pública es secular.
In this country public education is nonreligious.
More examples
El estado debe ser secular para proteger la libertad de culto.
The state must be secular to protect freedom of worship.
Core concept
Public or civil affairs apart from religious authority.
Common phrases
educación secular
secular education
estado secular
secular state
sociedad secular
secular society
Similar words
laico: Individuals or institutions that do not belong to or represent a church in public settings.
mundano: Worldly everyday life focused on ordinary, nonreligious concerns.
civil: Governmental matters and civic systems organized by public law and administration.
Definition in Spanish
Indica independencia de la autoridad religiosa y relación con lo público, lo civil o lo profano.
Word origin
It comes from medieval Latin saecularis, from Latin saeculum 'age, world', and it contrasts worldly or temporal matters with religious ones.
Usage tips
- Laico usually labels institutions or people as nonreligious, while secular commonly describes public affairs, social life, or temporal aspects.
Other meanings
- worldlyadjective
- centuries-oldadjective
Related words
- secularidadsecularismnoun
- secularizarsecularizeverb
- secularizaciónsecularizationnoun