paganism

[ pey-guh-niz-uhm ]
See synonyms for paganism on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. pagan spirit or attitude in religious or moral questions.

  2. the beliefs or practices of pagans.

  1. the state of being a pagan.

Origin of paganism

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English pāgānysme, from Late Latin pāgānismus, equivalent to Latin pāgān(us) pagan + -ismus -ism

Other words from paganism

  • pa·gan·ist, adjective, noun
  • pa·gan·is·tic, adjective

Words Nearby paganism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use paganism in a sentence

  • They were condemned on confessions of Islamism and paganism, extorted by the rack, and afterwards retracted.

  • Under a Philippine hierarchy there would be a danger of the natives reverting to paganism and fetichism.

    The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
  • The superstitious tyrant Maximin endeavoured to revive the dying paganism, and to renew the persecution.

    The Catacombs of Rome | William Henry Withrow
  • The kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation, and paganism seemed entirely unconscious of its impending doom.

    The Catacombs of Rome | William Henry Withrow