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Webster 1913 Edition
Heathen
Hea′then
(hē′th’n; 277)
, Noun.
pl.
Heathens
(-th’nz)
or collectively Heathen
. [OE. fem. See
hethen
, AS. hǣðen
, prop. an adj. fr. hǣð
heath, and orig., therefore, one who lives in the country or on the heaths and in the woods (cf. pagan
, fr. pagus
village); akin to OS. hēðin
, adj., D. heiden
a heathen, G. heide
, OHG. heidan
, Icel. heiðinn
, adj., Sw. heden
, Goth. haiþnō
, Noun.
Heath
, and cf. Hoiden
.] 1.
An individual of the pagan or unbelieving nations, or those which worship idols and do not acknowledge the true God; a pagan; an idolater.
2.
An irreligious person.
If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may preach it and they may hear it, and yet both continue unconverted
heathens
. V. Knox.
The heathen
, as the term is used in the Scriptures, all people except the Jews; now used of all people except Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
Syn. – Pagan; gentile. See
Pagan
. Hea′then
(hē′th’n)
, Adj.
1.
Gentile; pagan;
“The heathen philosopher.” “All in gold, like heathen gods.” as, a
. heathen
authorShak.
2.
Barbarous; unenlightened; heathenish.
3.
Irreligious; scoffing.
Webster 1828 Edition
Heathen
HE'ATHEN
,Noun.
1.
A pagan; a Gentile; one who worships idols, or is unacquainted with the true God. In the Scriptures, the word seems to comprehend all nations except the Jews or Israelites, as they were all strangers to the true religion, and all addicted to idolatry. The word may now be applied perhaps to all nations, except to Christians and Mohammedans.Heathen, without the plural termination, is used plurally or collectively, for Gentiles or heathen nations.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. Ps.2.
Heathen, however, has a plural, expressing two or more individuals.
If men have reason to be heathens in Japan--
The precepts and examples of the ancient heathens.
2.
A rude, illiterate, barbarous person.HE'ATHEN
,Adj.
Definition 2024
Heathen
Heathen
heathen
heathen
See also: Heathen
English
Adjective
heathen (not comparable)
- Not adhering to an Abrahamic religion; pagan.
- (by extension) Uncultured; uncivilized; savage, philistine.
- Alternative letter-case form of Heathen (pertaining or adhering to the Germanic neo-pagan faith Heathenry).
Translations
not adhering to an Abrahamic religion
savage
Heathen — see Heathen
Noun
heathen (plural heathens)
- A person who does not follow an Abrahamic religion; a pagan.
- V. Knox
- If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may preach it and they may hear it, and yet both continue unconverted heathens.
- V. Knox
- (by extension) An uncultured or uncivilized person, philistine.
- Alternative letter-case form of Heathen (an adherent of the Germanic neo-pagan faith of Heathenry).
Coordinate terms
- (religionists) religion, religionist; African traditionalist, animist, Asatruar, Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Confucianist, deist, Druid, Eckist, freethinker, heathen, Hindu, Jain, Jew, LaVeyan, Luciferian, Muslim, mysticist, New Thoughter, New Ager, occultist, Odinist, pagan, Rastafarian, Raëlian, religious humanist, Santerían, Scientologist, shamanist, Shintoist, Sikh, spiritist, Taoist, Tenrikyoist, Thelemite, theosophist, Unitarian Universalist, Wiccan, Zoroastrian (Category: en:Religion) [edit]
Derived terms
Derived terms
Translations
person who does not follow an Abrahamic religion
uncultured or uncivilized person
Heathen — see Heathen