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.
The secular year was kept but once a century.
--Addison.
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. --Milton.
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. --Prescett.
5. Belonging to the laity; lay; not clerical.
I speak of folk in secular estate. --Chaucer.
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 poem, a hymn or poem composed for the
secular games, or sung or rehearsed at those games.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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