Standard Lemma guide

secularization

noun · 5 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɛkjələɹaɪˌzeɪʃən/
  • Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɛkjələɹəˌzeɪʃən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious (or "irreligious") values and secular institutions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The deconsecration of a church.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The act of becoming secular.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

transfer of property from ecclesiastical to civil possession

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: secularisation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: transfer, transference

5

noun

Meaning 5

the activity of changing something (art or education or society or morality etc.) so it is no longer under the control or influence of religion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: secularisation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

History

Etymology

From secularize + -ation.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Asturian: secularización — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Belarusian: секулярыза́цыя (sjekuljaryzácyja) — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Catalan: secularització — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Dutch: secularisatie — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Finnish: maallistuminen — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Finnish: sekularisaatio — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • French: sécularisation — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • French: laïcisation — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Galician: secularización — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Georgian: სეკულარიზაცია (seḳularizacia) — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • German: Säkularisation — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Greek: εκκοσμίκευση (ekkosmíkefsi) — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Hungarian: szekularizáció — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Indonesian: sekularisasi — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Italian: secolarizzazione — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Japanese: 世俗化 (sezokuka) — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Polish: laicyzacja — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Polish: sekularyzacja — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Portuguese: secularização — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Russian: секуляриза́ция (sekuljarizácija) — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Spanish: secularización — transformation of values from religious to non-religious
  • Ukrainian: секуляриза́ція (sekuljaryzácija) — transformation of values from religious to non-religious