laicize
/ˈleɪ.ɪ.saɪz/
"laicize" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“laicize” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To convert from church-controlled to independent of the church; to secularize.
Corpus desk
Index EN-laicize · laicize · English
laicize · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 7 letters
- VOW-4 4 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "L" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | laicize |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈleɪ.ɪ.saɪz/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “laicize” in English
Rare enough to double-check
laicize is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈleɪ.ɪ.saɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for laicize, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From laic (“layperson”) + -ize (verbal suffix). The correct English form is laicize, spelled L-A-I-C-I-Z-E.
Definition
- 1To convert from church-controlled to independent of the church; to secularize.
- 2To reduce from clergy to layman.
- 3To convert to lay status.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how laicize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
They will laicise each of the schools in the district.
Due to his controversial views the Vatican decided to laicise the priest.
Etymology
From laic (“layperson”) + -ize (verbal suffix).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.