heathens

noun pl. heathens or heathen

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.

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

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