heathen

C2+ Topic:People & Society

US /ˈhiːðən/ UK /ˈhiːðən/ See IPA manual

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

Simplified etymology

Heathen is a Germanic word already used in Old English and originally meant someone "inhabiting open country." It is related to heath and developed a religious sense comparable to that of pagan.

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

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# heathen

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**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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