lay brother

See also: lay-brother

English

Alternative forms

• lay-brother (archaic)

Noun

lay brother (plural lay brothers or lay brethren)

1. (Christianity) A layman who is a member of a religious congregation or monastic order without the intention to become a priest.

   Synonym: conversus

   In feudal days lay brothers were usually uneducated commoners, who did most menial, manual labor while the learned priestly monks held the more spiritual jobs.

   • 2010, WHY A LAY BROTHER?, Franciscan Friars

     The male branch of the Franciscan family, a community of Lesser Brothers, is made up of men who are both clergy and consecrated laity traditionally called "lay brothers".

Related terms

• brotherly
• laicity

Translations

a layman who is a member of a brotherhood without the intention to become a priest

• Dutch: lekenbroeder (nl) m
• Irish: bráthair tuata
• Manx: braar theayagh m
• Portuguese: irmão leigo m