Pagan beliefs and activities do not belong to any of the main religions of the world and take nature and a belief in many gods as a basis. They are older, or are believed to be older, than other religions.
Synonyms: heathen, infidel, irreligious, polytheistic More Synonyms of pagan
2. countable noun [oft NOUN noun]
In former times, pagans were people who did not believe in Christianity and who many Christians considered to be inferior people.
The new religion was eager to convert the pagan world.
Eggs were associated with spring and fertility by pagans.
Synonyms: heathen [old-fashioned], infidel, unbeliever, polytheist More Synonyms of pagan
pagan in British English
(ˈpeɪɡən)
noun
1.
a member of a group professing a polytheistic religion or any religion other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam
2.
a person without any religion; heathen
adjective
3.
of or relating to pagans or their faith or worship
4.
heathen; irreligious
Derived forms
pagandom (ˈpagandom)
noun
paganish (ˈpaganish)
adjective
paganism (ˈpaganism)
noun
paganist (ˈpaganist)
adjective, noun
paganistic (ˌpaganˈistic)
adjective
paganistically (ˌpaganˈistically)
adverb
Word origin
C14: from Church Latin pāgānus civilian (hence, not a soldier of Christ), from Latin: countryman, villager, frompāgus village
pagan in American English
(ˈpeɪgən)
noun
1.
a person who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew; heathen
formerly, sometimes applied specif. to a non-Christian by Christians
2.
a person who has no religion
3.
a person who worships nature or the earth, specif., one who practices a form of worship in imitation of any of various religions that historically preceded Christianity
adjective
4.
of pagans or paganism; not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish
5.
not religious; heathen
SYNONYMY NOTE: pagan, heathen are both applied to polytheistic peoples, but , pagan often refers specifically to ancient peoples, esp. the Greeks and Romans, and , heathen is applied to any of the peoples regarded as primitive idolaters; , gentile (often Gentile) is applied to one who is not a Jew, or, among Mormons, to one who is not a Mormon
Derived forms
pagandom (ˈpagandom)
noun
paganish (ˈpaganish)
adjective
paganism (ˈpaganˌism)
noun
Word origin
ME < LL(Ec) paganus, a heathen, pagan (contrasted with Christian or Jew) < L, a peasant, rustic < pagus, country < IE base *pak-, to join, enclose, fasten > fang, L pax
Examples of 'pagan' in a sentence
pagan
Then the minister prayed and began to read the ancient and somewhat pagan service.
Smout, T.C. & Wood, Sydney Scottish Voices 1745-1960 (1990)
This is because of their association with pagan festivals.
The Sun (2015)
Pagan ritual is very different from this.
Crowley, Vivianne Phoenix From the Flame (1994)
It addresses what was then the fraught issue of food left over from pagan worship.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He refused to do so and burnt down a pagan temple.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Pagan religion is based on a core body of myth and saga which is our inheritance from our ancestors over thousands of years.
Crowley, Vivianne Phoenix From the Flame (1994)
It is almost pagan, this worship of the Flame.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Easter is far more than a Bank Holiday or a pagan spring festival.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
pagan
British English: pagan ADJECTIVE
Pagan beliefs and activities do not belong to any of the main religions of the world and take nature and a belief in many gods as a basis. They are older, or are believed to be older, than other religions.
...the pagan festival of the Spring Goddess.
American English: pagan
Brazilian Portuguese: pagão
Chinese: 异教徒的
European Spanish: pagano
French: païen
German: heidnisch
Italian: pagano
Japanese: 異教の
Korean: > 토속신앙의주요 종교 외
European Portuguese: pagão
Latin American Spanish: pagano
British English: pagan NOUN
In former times, pagans were people who did not believe in Christianity and who many Christians considered to be inferior people.
The new religion was eager to convert the pagan world.
American English: pagan
Brazilian Portuguese: pagão
Chinese: 异教徒
European Spanish: pagano
French: païen
German: Heide
Italian: pagano
Japanese: 異教徒
Korean: 이교도의
European Portuguese: pagão
Latin American Spanish: pagano
(noun)
Definition
a person without any religion
He has been a practising pagan for years.
Synonyms
heathen (old-fashioned)
the condescending air of missionaries seeking to convert the heathen
infidel
They believed we were infidels and dirty, so they treated us badly.
unbeliever
They come as unbelievers and go away with a new faith in life.
polytheist
idolater
(adjective)
Definition
irreligious
Britain's ancient pagan heritage
Synonyms
heathen
a heathen temple
infidel
irreligious
polytheistic
idolatrous
heathenish
Additional synonyms
in the sense of idolater
Synonyms
heathen (old-fashioned),
pagan,
idol-worshipper
in the sense of infidel
Definition
a person who rejects a specific religion, esp. Christianity or Islam
They believed we were infidels and dirty, so they treated us badly.
Synonyms
unbeliever,
sceptic,
atheist,
heretic,
agnostic,
heathen (old-fashioned),
nonconformist,
freethinker,
nonbeliever,
giaour
in the sense of unbeliever
Definition
a person who does not believe in a religion
They come as unbelievers and go away with a new faith in life.