lay sister


noun
  1. a woman who has taken religious vows and habit but is employed in her order chiefly in manual labor.

Origin of lay sister

1
First recorded in 1700–10

Words Nearby lay sister

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lay sister in a sentence

  • Such things had happened before in the community, and the lay sister was not surprised.

    The White Sister | F. Marion Crawford
  • Ten minutes after, two nuns and a lay sister entered and installed themselves in the house.

    The Regent's Daughter | Alexandre Dumas (Pere)
  • "Sister Maria Addolorata may then rest a little," answered the lay sister, who rarely spoke.

  • The lay-sister retired as noiselessly as she had come, and Mother Gertrude closed her book.

    Consequences | E. M. Delafield
  • With the assistance of the lay-sister, Beatrice effected her escape from the building, and joined me outside the walls.

    Yule Logs | Various

British Dictionary definitions for lay sister

lay sister

noun
  1. a woman who has taken the vows of a religious order but is not ordained and not bound to divine office

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