secularism

secular +‎ -ism

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɛkjʊləˌɹɪzəm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

secularism (countable and uncountable, plural secularisms)

1. Neutrality towards all religions.

   state secularism

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Quarians: Religion Codex entry:

     The ancient quarians practiced ancestor worship. Even after abandoning faith for secularism, quarians continued to revere the wisdom of elders.

2. The political belief in the separation of church and state, i.e. the position that religious belief should not influence public and governmental decisions.
   • 1870, Secularism. Report of a public discussion between the Rev. Alexander J. Harrison and Mr. Charles Bradlaugh held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on Sept. 13 & 14, 1870‎, page 72:

     And I have further to say, that I believe as much as Mr. Bradlaugh, or any other man in the room, in freethought; and I invite every Secularist to break off from him for ever the shackles that bind him in the superstition of his Secularism.

• laicity (esp. in France); statism (obs.)

• secularist
• secularity
• secularization
• secularize

• agnosticism
• atheism
• humanism
• laicism