heathen Definition

heathen
noun heathens, heathen

1. Someone who is not a Christian, Jew or Muslim, but who follows another religion, especially one with many gods; a pagan.

Thesaurus: gentile, idolater, idolatress, infidel, pagan, unbeliever; Antonym: believer.
2. colloq
An ignorant or uncivilized person.
Thesaurus: barbarian, savage, philistine.
3. Heathens as a group (see the 4b).

Form: the heathen

adj

1. Having no religion; pagan.

Thesaurus: pagan, idolatrous, godless, unconverted, unenlightened, polytheistic, agnostic, amoral, atheistic; Antonym: Christian, godly, religious.
2. colloq
Ignorant; uncivilized.
Thesaurus: barbaric, uncivilized, savage.
3. Referring or relating to heathen peoples or their beliefs or traditions.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hæthen.