Secularism
Etymology
From Latin saecularis, “of an age, of the world,” from saeculum, “generation, age” — long used to mean “worldly” as opposed to “sacred.” The Englishman George Holyoake coined “secularism” around 1851 for a philosophy focused on this-worldly human welfare. It now most often names the institutional separation of religion and state, which ranges from strict exclusion to neutral accommodation depending on the country.
noun · /SEK-yuh-luh-riz-um/
The principle that government and public institutions should operate independently of religious authority, with religion treated as a private matter.
What it names
The dividing line — drawn differently in different countries — between the business of the state and the claims of faith.
Example
The country’s secularism kept prayer out of official ceremonies while still protecting citizens’ right to worship freely.
Related idea
Atheism is a personal claim that no god exists; secularism is a stance about institutions and can be held by believers and nonbelievers alike.