Secular

a. [Lat. sæcularis, from sæculum, a generation, age, the times, the world; Fr. séculaire, sécular, O. Fr., Pr., Sp., & Pg. secular, Pr. & Sp. seclar, It. secolare.]

1. Coming or observed once in an age or century. The secular year was kept but once a century. Addison.
2. Pertaining to an age, or the progress of ages, or to a long period of time; accomplished in a long progress of time; as, secular inequality; the secular refrigeration of the globe. Dana.
3. Pertaining to this present world, or to things not spiritual or holy; relating to things not immediately or primarily respecting the soul, but the body; worldly.

New foes arise, Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains. Milton. 4. (Rom. Cath. Church.) Not regular; not bound by monastic vows or rules; not confined to a monastery, or subject to the rules of a religious community; as, a secular priest. He tried to enforce a stricter discipline and greater regard for morals, both in the religious orders and the secular clergy. Prescott. Secular equation (Astron.), the numerical expression of the magnitude and period of a secular inequality.—Secular games (Rom. Antiq.), games celebrated in honor of some deity once in an age or century, which lasted three days and nights, with sacrifices, theatrical shows, combats, sports, and the like.—Secular music, any music or songs not adapted to sacred uses.—Secular song or poem, a song or poem composed for the secular games, or sung or rehearsed at those games.