heathen Hear it!

heathen Definition

hea·then (hē′t̸hən)

noun pl. -·thens or -·then

  1. in the Old Testament, a member of any nation or people not worshiping the God of Israel
  2. anyone not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim; esp., a member of a tribe, nation, etc. worshiping many gods
  3. a person regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, unenlightened, etc.

Etymology: ME hethen < OE hæthen < hæth, heath; like Goth haithnō, gentile (woman) < haithi, heath (hence lit., “heath dweller”) a loan transl. used by Ulfilas for LL(Ec) paganus (see pagan), taken in its L sense, “a countryman, rustic” < pagus, the country

adjective

  1. of or characteristic of heathens; pagan
  2. irreligious, uncivilized, etc.

heathen Related Forms

hea′·then·dom noun hea′·then·ish adjective hea′·then·ism′ noun

heathen Synonyms

heathen

modif.

idolatrous, pagan, unchristian, non-Jewish, non-Muslim, uncivilized, uncircumcised, unconverted, barbaric, amoral, godless, ungodly, atheistic, agnostic, irreligious, paganish, gentile, sun-worshiping, ethnic, idolistic, henotheistic, polytheistic, demonolatrous, paynim, infidel, fetishistic, infidelic; see also impious, primitive 3.

Antonyms Christian*, religious*, moral.

heathen Synonyms

heathen

n.

pagan, infidel, idolater, barbarian; see barbarian 1, pagan, skeptic. See syn. study at pagan.

heathen Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • convert: Without leaving her convent in Spain she would convert heathens in New Mexico.
  • let: Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
  • worship: The same encyclopedia gives the definition of pagans as " unenlightened, idol worshipping, raw rustic heathens " .

Adjective modifier

modern: Modern heathens have therefore replaced the animal offering with an offering of mead.

Modifies a noun

  • Dane: He then went to New Corbie in Saxony, from where he was taken by King Harold of Denmark to enlighten the heathen Danes.
  • deity: A large portion of a gigantic statue of some heathen deity was dug up in the parish in 1847, carved in stone.
  • temple: This enclosure, therefore, marks the original size of the heathen temple.
  • god: Heathen gods do have personal relationships with humans, however.
  • poet: During his illness, ' Aisha repeated verses from a heathen poet supposed to be appropriate.
  • nation: The heathen nation that plagued the Jews in the first century AD was the Romans.

Modifying Another Word

little: A little heathen in six-year-old shoes, showing her up.

Used with adjective complement

consider: As they had written books of revelation, they were not considered heathen by Mohammed.

Browse dictionary entries near heathen

  1. ‹ heathbird
  2. ‹ heath hen
  3. ‹ heath cock
  4. ‹ heath aster
  5. ‹ heath
  6. ‹ heater
  7. ‹ heated
  8. ‹ heat wave
  9. ‹ heat-treat
  10. ‹ heat sink
  1. heathenize ›
  2. heather ›
  3. heathy ›
  4. heating ›
  5. heating degree day ›
  6. heating oil ›
  7. heating pad ›
  8. heatstroke ›
  9. heaume ›
  10. heave ›