The process of removing religious elements, influence, or significance from something that was previously religious in nature.
From prefix de- (meaning 'remove') + religion (from Latin religio, meaning 'reverence or respect for the sacred'). The term emerged in the 20th century to describe secularization processes in societies and institutions.
This word captures a major historical shift: as countries modernized, institutions like schools and governments actively removed religious instruction and symbols—a phenomenon sociologists call 'secularization.' It's the opposite of a religious movement!
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