heathen
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hea·then
(hē′thən)n. pl. hea·thens or heathen
1. Offensive
a. An adherent of a religion that does not worship the God of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.
b. Such persons considered as a group.
2. Heathen An adherent of a Neopagan religion that seeks to revive the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Germanic peoples.
3. Informal
a. One who is regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened.
b. Such persons considered as a group.
hea′then adj.
hea′then·dom, hea′then·ism, hea′then·ry n.
hea′then·ish adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
heathen
(ˈhiːðən)n, pl -thens or -then
1. (Alternative Belief Systems) a person who does not acknowledge the God of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam; pagan
2. an uncivilized or barbaric person
3. (Alternative Belief Systems) the heathen (functioning as plural) heathens collectively
adj
4. (Alternative Belief Systems) irreligious; pagan
5. unenlightened; uncivilized; barbaric
6. (Alternative Belief Systems) of or relating to heathen peoples or their religious, moral, and other customs, practices, and beliefs
[Old English hǣthen; related to Old Norse heithinn, Old Frisian hēthin, Old High German heidan]
ˈheathenism, ˈheathenry n
ˈheathenness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
hea•then
(ˈhi ðən)n., pl. -thens, -then,
adj. n.
1. an unconverted individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible or Koran; pagan.
2. an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.
adj. 3. of or pertaining to heathens; pagan.
4. irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized.
[before 900; Middle English hethen, Old English hǣthen, c. Old Saxon hēthin, Old High German heidan, Old Norse heithinn, Gothic haithno (feminine n.); probably akin to heath]
hea′then•dom, n.
hea′then•ism, n.
hea′then•ize`, v.t., v.i. -ized, -iz•ing.
hea′then•ness, n.
syn: heathen, pagan are both applied to peoples who are not Christian, Jewish, or Muslim; these terms may also refer to irreligious peoples. heathen is often used of those whose religion is unfamiliar and therefore regarded as primitive, unenlightened, or uncivilized: heathen idols; heathen rites. pagan is most frequently used of the ancient Greeks and Romans who worshiped many deities: a pagan civilization.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | heathen - a person who does not acknowledge your god nonreligious person - a person who does not manifest devotion to a deity paynim - a heathen; a person who is not a Christian (especially a Muslim) |
Adj. | 1. | heathen - not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam irreligious - hostile or indifferent to religion |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
heathen
noun (Old-fashioned)
1. pagan, infidel, unbeliever, idolater, idolatress the condescending air of missionaries seeking to convert the heathen
adjective
1. pagan, infidel, godless, irreligious, idolatrous, heathenish a heathen temple
2. uncivilized, savage, primitive, barbaric, brutish, unenlightened, uncultured to disappear into the cold heathen north
Quotations
"heathen: a benighted creature who has the folly to worship something that he can see and feel" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]
"heathen: a benighted creature who has the folly to worship something that he can see and feel" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
وَثَني، عابِد الأوثان
-kapohanpohanský
hedenskhedning
pakanapakanallinen
heiîingi; heiîinn
pagonispagoniškas
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
heathen
adj → heidnisch; (fig) → unkultiviert, unzivilisiert
n → Heide m, → Heidin f; (fig) → unkultivierter or unzivilisierter Mensch; the heathen (collectively, lit) → die Heiden; (fig) → die Barbaren
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
heathen
[ˈhiːð/ən] adj & n → pagano/aCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
heathen
(ˈhiːðən) noun, adjective (of) a person who believes in a less advanced form of religion, especially one with many gods. Missionaries tried to convert the heathens to Christianity.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.