English Explanatory Dictionary

pagan

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Relating to, characteristic of religions that differ from main world religions.
  2. Savage, immoral, uncivilized, wild.
noun
  1. A person not adhering to a main world religion; a follower of a pantheistic or nature-worshipping religion.
  2. An uncivilized or unsocialized person.
  3. An unruly, badly educated child.
  4. An outlaw biker who is a member of the Pagans MC.
  5. Alternative form of paigon
name
  1. A male given name from Latin.
  2. A female given name.
  3. A surname.
name
  1. The city of Bagan, Myanmar.
  2. The 9th- to 13th-century Burmese kingdom which had its capital at this city.

Pronunciation

pā'gən /ˈpeɪɡən/ en-us-pagan.ogg /pəˈɡɑːn/

Word forms

pagan pagans

Etymology

From Middle English pagan (adjective and noun), from Latin pāgānus (“rural, rustic; civilian”), replaced Middle English payen from the same root. The meaning “not Christian” arose in Vulgar Latin, probably from the 4th century, owing to the Roman countryside being largely non-Christian, or potentially from the “civilian” meaning—denoting those not in the “army of Christ”. As a self-designation of neopagans, attested since 1990. Partly displaced native heathen, from Old English hǣþen. Note the opposition: pagan, peasant (related via pāgus), rustic, savage (<< Latin silvāticus), villain (<< Latin vīllānus), boorish vs. urbane, civil, courteous (akin to court). Also note Ancient Greek ἄγροικος (ágroikos) vs. ἀστεῖος (asteîos).

Synonyms

heathen heathenish heathenly heathenous barbarian barbaric wolfish animalistic barbarious barbarous brutal brutish Gothic Gothlike grim incivil pagan savage tenebrose truculent uncivil uncivilized uncouth uncultivated uncultured uplandish paynim philistine brat

Antonyms

Christian Muslim Jewish

Related words

peasant paynim heathen heretic idolater infidel animist Asatruar Druid Hellenist Odinist Rodnover Tengrist Wiccan

Derived words

anti-pagan Christopagan curse like a pagan neopagan nonpagan pagandom paganess paganic paganing paganise paganish paganism paganist paganistic paganity paganization paganize paganly paganness paganophile paganry playgan postpagan semipagan swear like a pagan technopagan unpagan neo-pagan Pagans Flat
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