heathen

C2+ Topic:People & Society

US /ˈhiːðən/ UK /ˈhiːðən/ See IPA manual

noun adj

Meanings

1

noun
a person not belonging to a widely held religion; irreligious

The missionaries set out to convert the so-called heathen tribes.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person not belonging to a... pagan infidel gentileidolaterunbeliever

Opposites

believer christian convert

Word family

Forms heathenish

Derived forms heathenismheathendomheathenish

Related forms heath

Etymology

From Old English hæthen ('not Christian or Jewish'), from Proto-Germanic *haithinaz, perhaps originally 'dweller on the heath', a calque of Latin paganus ('country-dweller, pagan').

hæthen Old English *haithinaz Proto-Germanic

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Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives

# heathen

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** ˈhiːðən
**IPA (UK):** ˈhiːðən

## Meanings
1. a person not belonging to a widely held religion; irreligious

## Examples
- The missionaries set out to convert the so-called heathen tribes.

## Synonyms
- pagan
- infidel
- gentile
- idolater
- unbeliever

## Antonyms
- believer
- christian
- convert

## Derived Forms
- heathenism
- heathendom
- heathenish

## Related Forms
- heath

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hæthen
- Root: *haithinaz

## Etymology
From Old English hæthen ('not Christian or Jewish'), from Proto-Germanic *haithinaz, perhaps originally 'dweller on the heath', a calque of Latin paganus ('country-dweller, pagan').

## AI Etymology
Heathen comes from Old English hæthen ('not Christian or Jewish'), from Proto-Germanic *haithinaz, perhaps originally 'dweller on the heath', a calque of Latin paganus ('country-dweller, pagan'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun and adjective, it denotes "a person not belonging to a widely held religion; irreligious", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Old English hæthen and Proto-Germanic *haithinaz. Derivative forms include heathenism, heathendom, heathenish; related words include heath.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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