Heathen means having no religion, or belonging to a religion that is not Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.
[old-fashioned]
He preached the Gospel to the heathen locals from this spot.
...a heathen temple.
Synonyms: pagan, infidel, godless, irreligious More Synonyms of heathen
The heathen are heathen people.
They first set out to convert the heathen.
2. countable noun
People sometimes refer to other people who have no religion as heathens, especially if they do not like the way they behave as a result of this.
[old-fashioned, disapproval]
She called us all heathens and hypocrites.
Synonyms: barbarian, savage, philistine, oaf More Synonyms of heathen
More Synonyms of heathen
heathen in British English
(ˈhiːðən)
nounWord forms: plural-thens or -then
1.
a person who does not acknowledge the God of Christianity, Judaism, or Islam; pagan
2.
an uncivilized or barbaric person
3. the heathen
adjective
4.
irreligious; pagan
5.
unenlightened; uncivilized; barbaric
6.
of or relating to heathen peoples or their religious, moral, and other customs, practices, and beliefs
Derived forms
heathenism (ˈheathenism) or heathenry (ˈheathenry)
noun
heathenness (ˈheathenness)
noun
Word origin
Old English hǣthen; related to Old Norse heithinn, Old Frisian hēthin, Old High German heidan
heathen in American English
(ˈhiðən)
nounWord forms: pluralˈheathens or ˈheathen
1.
in the Old Testament, a member of any nation or people not worshiping the God of Israel
2.
anyone not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim; esp., a member of a tribe, nation, etc. worshiping many gods
3.
a person regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, unenlightened, etc.
adjective
4.
of or characteristic of heathens; pagan
5.
irreligious, uncivilized, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈpagan
Derived forms
heathendom (ˈheathendom)
noun
heathenish (ˈheathenish)
adjective
heathenism (ˈheathenˌism)
noun
Word origin
ME hethen < OE hæthen < hæth, heath; like Goth haithnō, gentile (woman) < haithi, heath (hence lit., “heath dweller”) a loan transl. used by Ulfilas for LL(Ec) paganus (see pagan), taken in its L sense, “a countryman, rustic” < pagus, the country
Synonyms of 'heathen'
pagan, infidel, unbeliever, idolater
barbarian, savage, philistine, oaf
pagan, infidel, godless, irreligious
uncivilized, savage, primitive, barbaric
More Synonyms of heathen
1 (noun)
Definition
a person who does not believe in an established religion
(old-fashioned)
the condescending air of missionaries seeking to convert the heathen
Synonyms
pagan
He has been a practising pagan for years.
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.
idolater
idolatress
2 (noun)
She called us all heathens and hypocrites.
Synonyms
barbarian
The visitors looked upon us all as barbarians.
savage
The Romans viewed the people they conquered as savages.
philistine
The man's a total philistine when it comes to the arts.
oaf
some oaf shouting into his phone
plebeian
ignoramus
boor
He was a braggart, a cynic and a boor.
1 (adjective)
Definition
of or relating to heathen peoples
a heathen temple
Synonyms
pagan
Britain's ancient pagan heritage
infidel
godless
a godless and alienated society
irreligious
irreligious communities
idolatrous
heathenish
2 (adjective)
(old-fashioned)
to disappear into the cold heathen north
Synonyms
uncivilized
countries which did not wish to appear backward or uncivilized