lay reader

American

noun

Anglican Church.

a layperson authorized by a bishop to conduct certain parts of a service.

lay reader British

noun

Church of England a person licensed by a bishop to conduct religious services other than the Eucharist
RC Church a layman chosen from among the congregation to read the epistle at Mass and sometimes other prayers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lay reader

First recorded in 1745–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For the historian or biographer, such details are inescapably important; for the lay reader, they can become wearisome.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms. Allen’s easy explanation—of this and myriad other topics—opens fields of study lay readers might not otherwise have dared venture into.

From The Wall Street Journal

When it dives deep into the scoring itself, it’s a musicological feast that even tin-eared lay readers can appreciate.

From The Wall Street Journal

A lay reader may find this wordy description difficult to grasp.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the historians suggest this was a “literary device” to make the story more exciting and understandable to lay readers.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023