Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of paganism
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English pāgānysme, from Late Latin pāgānismus, equivalent to Latin pāgān(us) pagan + -ismus -ism
Explanation
Paganism refers to religions other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Any religion that’s outside of the mainstream is considered paganism. Wiccans and Druids are but a few of the people who practice paganism, but many pagan religions have been retired. Paganism is a loose term that lumps together many religions and belief systems. This term was often used in a derogatory way — especially by Christians — for faiths that existed before Jesus. The term pagan is related to the Latin word for “rural” because country people held on to the old religions for longer. In paganism, polytheism — a group of gods — was more common than the monotheism that followed. Paganism is also called heathenism.
Vocabulary lists containing paganism
Power Suffix: -ism
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World Religions
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The Suffix -ism, Part 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The conference "Imagining Nordic Paganism: Cultural Memories and Scholarly Thought Since the Middle Ages" focuses on the long history of how Scandinavian paganism has been interpreted.
From Science Daily • Nov. 23, 2025
A typical Easter feast includes lamb, which symbolizes Jesus' self-sacrifice as the "Lamb of God" in Christianity and the spring equinox in Paganism; and ham, which symbolizes luck.
From Salon • Apr. 7, 2023
Tonks says she found that Paganism "just felt right and made sense to me".
From BBC • Oct. 29, 2021
Gay won the National Book Award in 1967 for "The Enlightenment: An Interpretation. The Rise of Modern Paganism" and received a gold medal in 1996 from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
From US News • May 12, 2015
The religious theory of Paganism had in this respect some influence.
From History of European Morals From Augustus to Charlemagne (Vol. 2 of 2) by Lecky, William Edward Hartpole
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
