- Secular
- Secular Sec"u*lar, a. [OE. secular, seculer. L. saecularis,
fr. saeculum a race, generation, age, the times, the world;
perhaps akin to E. soul: cf. F. s['e]culier.]
1. Coming or observed once in an age or a century.
[1913 Webster]
The secular year was kept but once a century. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
New foes arise, Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
He tried to enforce a stricter discipline and greater regard for morals, both in the religious orders and the secular clergy. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]
5. Belonging to the laity; lay; not clerical. [1913 Webster]
I speak of folk in secular estate. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
{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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
