Secularities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of being separate from religious or spiritual matters; matters or aspects that relate to worldly affairs rather than religious contexts; phenomena or events that are typically linked to a non-religious or temporal sphere of life
2. Aspects of life that do not pertain to or are influenced by religion; considerations or elements associated with everyday existence detached from spiritual concerns; occurrences or items that embody non-religious qualities in society
3. The quality of being unrelated to religious beliefs or practices; instances and contexts that focus on the material and temporal rather than the sacred; activities or discussions characterized by a lack of religious undertones

Etymology: "Secularities" is simply the plural of "secularity," so it is the form of a noun meaning the quality of being secular, that is, worldly rather than religious. The base word "secular" comes from Latin "saecularis," meaning "of an age or generation," from "saeculum," a span of time or a generation. The suffix "-ity" turns an adjective into a noun denoting a state or quality, and English formed "secularity" from "secular" by adding it, paralleling the French "sécularité" and Latin "saecularitas." The shift from time to worldliness is the real story behind the word. The original Latin sense concerned the passing of ages, and "secular" in English came to mean belonging to the present world, as opposed to the eternal or the sacred. The plural form "secularities" pluralizes this quality into particular instances: individual matters, customs or elements that are non-religious in character.

Synonyms: secularism, nonreligiousness, worldliness, temporalities, civility

Antonyms: spirituality, religiousness, holiness, sacredness, divinity