heathen
[ hee-thuhn ]
/ ˈhi ðən /
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noun, plural hea·thens, hea·then.
(in historical contexts) an individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; a pagan.
Informal. an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.
adjective
of or relating to heathens; pagan.
Informal. irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized.
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Origin of heathen
before 900; Middle English hethen,Old English hǣthen, akin to German Heide, heidnisch (adj.), Old Norse heithingi (noun), heithinn (adj.), Gothic haithno (noun); perhaps akin to heath
synonym study for heathen
See pagan.
OTHER WORDS FROM heathen
Words nearby heathen
heat exhaustion, heat gun, heath, heathberry, heath cock, heathen, heathendom, heathenish, heathenism, heathenize, heather
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use heathen in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for heathen
heathen
/ (ˈhiːðən) /
noun plural -thens or -then
a person who does not acknowledge the God of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam; pagan
an uncivilized or barbaric person
the heathen (functioning as plural) heathens collectively
adjective
irreligious; pagan
unenlightened; uncivilized; barbaric
of or relating to heathen peoples or their religious, moral, and other customs, practices, and beliefs
Derived forms of heathen
heathenism or heathenry, nounheathenness, nounWord Origin for heathen
Old English hǣthen; related to Old Norse heithinn, Old Frisian hēthin, Old High German heidan
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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