pagan

[ pey-guhn ]

noun

1. (in historical contexts) one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks.
2. a member of a religious, spiritual, or cultural community based on the worship of nature or the earth; a neopagan.
3. Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive.
   1. a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim; a heathen.
   2. an irreligious or hedonistic person.
   3. an uncivilized or unenlightened person.

adjective

1. (in historical contexts) of or relating to pagans.
2. Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive.
   1. relating to a religion, person, or culture that is not Christian, Jewish, or Muslim; heathen.
   2. irreligious or hedonistic.
   3. (of a person) uncivilized or unenlightened.

pagan

/ ˈpeɪɡən /

noun

1. a member of a group professing a polytheistic religion or any religion other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam
2. a person without any religion; heathen

adjective

1. of or relating to pagans or their faith or worship
2. heathen; irreligious

Derived Forms

• ˈpaganish, adjective
• ˈpagandom, noun
• ˌpaganˈistic, adjective
• ˌpaganˈistically, adverb
• ˈpaganism, noun
• ˈpaganist, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• pa·gan·ish adjective
• pa·gan·ish·ly adverb
• non·pa·gan noun adjective
• non·pa·gan·ish adjective
• pseu·do·pa·gan adjective
• sem·i·pa·gan noun adjective
• sem·i·pa·gan·ish adjective
• un·pa·gan adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pagan¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin pāgānus “worshiper of false gods,” originally (in military slang), “civilian” (i.e., not a soldier of Christ), Latin: “peasant,” noun use of pāgānus “rural, civilian,” derivative of pāgus “village, rural district” (akin to pangere “to make fast, settle upon, fix”) + -anus ; -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of pagan¹

C14: from Church Latin pāgānus civilian (hence, not a soldier of Christ), from Latin: countryman, villager, from pāgus village

Synonym Study

Heathen and pagan are primarily historical terms that were applied pejoratively, especially by people who were Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, to peoples who were not members of one of those three monotheistic religious groups. Heathen referred especially to the peoples and cultures of primitive or ancient tribes thought to harbor unenlightened, barbaric idol worshipers: heathen rites; heathen idols. Pagan, although sometimes applied similarly to those tribes, was more often used to refer specifically to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who worshiped the multiple gods and goddesses said to dwell on Mount Olympus, such as Zeus and Athena (called Jupiter and Minerva by the Romans). The term was applied to their beliefs and culture as well: a pagan ritual; a pagan civilization. Contemporary paganism, having evolved and expanded in Europe and North America since the 20th century, includes adherents of diverse groups that hold various beliefs, which may focus, for example, on the divinity of nature or of the planet Earth or which may be pantheistic or polytheistic. In modern English, heathen remains a term that can be offensive, used to accuse someone of being unenlightened or irreligious; pagan, however, is increasingly a neutral description of certain existing and emerging religious movements.

Example Sentences

Three is often associated with divine trinities, such as the Father, Son and Holy Ghost in the Christian tradition, or the Maiden, Mother and Crone in Wiccan and Pagan practices.

From Salon

Indeed, orthodox critics have accused the NAR and its predecessors of practicing the same sort of pagan ritual magic they claim to be fighting against.

From Salon

This began with “spiritual mapping” to identify “demonic strongholds,” which has more in common with the practices of various pagan traditions than anything adjacent to mainstream Christianity.

From Salon

"We know the Anglo-Saxons of this period are pagan and they are moving in and starting to take over the whole of England, mainly in the east at this moment," he said.

From BBC

I was especially fascinated by their efforts to persuade Christian converts not to destroy artefacts, which they considered pagan and evil.

From BBC

Related Words

• agnostic
• atheist