Phrase guide

secular arm

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌsɛkjʊlə ˈɑːm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˌsɛkjələɹ ˈɑɹm/
  • rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)m

1

noun

Meaning 1

The lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment (particularly capital punishment) of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Topics: Christianity, law

Examples

  • The secular arm as a means by which lay power intervenes in ecclesiastical cases had two types: sought and unsought by the Church.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Late Middle English seculer arm, seculer arme (“civil authority or power”), a calque of Medieval Latin bracchium saeculāre (“(figurative) civil or lay power”), from Latin bracchium (“arm”) + saeculāre (neuter singular form of saeculāris (“profane, temporal, worldly”)).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: maallinen valta — lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court
  • French: bras séculier — lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court
  • German: weltlicher Arm — lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court
  • Italian: braccio secolare — lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court
  • Latin: bracchium saeculāre — lay or temporal authority of a secular court to pronounce punishment of an offender tried by an ecclesiastical court