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heathen

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The definition of a heathen is someone who does not belong to an accepted religion or is someone who is lacking in morals or principles.

(noun)

An example of a heathen is a person who is uncivilized and not religious.
An example of a heathen is a person who lies, cheats and does other immoral things.

See heathen in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. heathens or heathen

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

Origin: 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

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

Related Forms:

heathendom noun
heathenish adjective
heathenism noun

See heathen in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. hea·thens or heathen

Offensive
a. One who adheres to the religion of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.
b. Such persons considered as a group; the unconverted.
Heathen An adherent of a Neopagan religion that seeks to revive the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Germanic peoples.
Informal
a. One who is regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened.
b. Such persons considered as a group.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English hethen

Origin: , from Old English hǣthen; see kaito- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: