pagan

See also Pagan, and păgân

English

Etymology

Recorded in English since c1375. From Latin pāgānus (“rural, rustic”), later "civilian". The meaning "not (Judeo-)Christian" arose in Vulgar Latin, probably from the 4th century. It is unclear whether this usage is derived primarily from the "rustic" or from the "civilian" meaning, which in Roman army jargon meant 'clumsy'. As a self-designation of neopagans attested since 1990.

Pronunciation

• enPR: pā'gən, IPA: /ˈpeɪɡən/, X-SAMPA: /"peIg@n/
• Rhymes: -eɪɡən

Adjective

pagan (not comparable)

1. Relating to, characteristic of or adhering to non-Abrahamist religions, especially earlier polytheism.

   Many converted societies transformed their pagan deities into saints.

2. (by extension) Savage, immoral, uncivilized, wild.

Synonyms

• (religion): heathenish
• (civilisation): barbarian, barbaric

Antonyms

• (religion): Abrahamist, Judeo-Christian

Hyponyms

• pantheistic
• nature-worshipping
• neo-pagan

Derived terms

• paganism
• neopagan
• paganly

Translations

relating to non-Biblical religions

• Armenian: հեթանոսական (hy) (het'anosakan)
• Dutch: heidens (nl)
• Finnish: pakanallinen (fi), pakana- (fi)
• French: païen (fr)
• German: heidnisch (de)
• Greek: ειδωλολατρικός (el) (eidololatrikós) m
• Hungarian: pogány (hu)

• Portuguese: pagão (pt) m
• Romanian: păgân (ro)
• Russian: языческий (ru) (jazýčeskij)
• Scottish Gaelic: pàganach (gd)
• Spanish: pagano (es)
• Swahili: kafiri (sw)

immoral, uncivilized, savage

• Dutch: immoreel (nl), onbeschaafd (nl)
• Finnish: pakanallinen (fi), pakana- (fi)
• French: immoral (fr), incivilisé (fr)

• Hungarian: istentelen (hu)
• Romanian: păgân (ro)
• Swahili: kafiri (sw)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Swedish: hednisk (sv)

Noun

pagan (plural pagans)

1. A person not adhering to any major or recognized religion, especially a heathen or non-Abrahamist, follower of a pantheistic or nature-worshipping religion, neopagan.

   This community has a surprising number of pagans.

2. (by extension) An uncivilized or unsocialized person
3. Especially an unruly, badly educated child.

Synonyms

• (heathen): paynim
• (uncivilised): philistine, savage
• (child): brat

Derived terms

• neo-pagan

Related terms

• peasant
• paynim

Translations

person not adhering to any major or recognized religion

• Armenian: հեթանոս (hy) (het'anos)
• Czech: pohan (cs) m
• Dutch: heiden (nl) m
• Finnish: pakana (fi)
• German: Heide (de) m, Heidin (de) f, Ungläubiger (de) m
• Greek: ειδωλολάτρης (el) (eidololátris) m

• Hungarian: pogány (hu)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: hedning (nb) m

  Nynorsk: heidning (nn) m

• Romanian: păgân (ro) m
• Russian: язычник (ru) (jazýčnik) m
• Scottish Gaelic: pàganach (gd) m
• Spanish: pagano (es) m
• Swahili: kafiri (sw)

uncivilized or unsocialized person

• Dutch: heiden m, barbaar m, wilde(man) m
• Finnish: pakana (dated), sivistymätön ihminen (fi)

• Hungarian: istentelen (hu)
• Swahili: kafiri (sw)

unruly, badly educated child

• Finnish: kakara (fi), kauhukakara (fi)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: païen m, païenne f

• Swedish: hedning c

See also

• atheist
• heretic
• infidel

Anagrams

• panga

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Galician

Verb

pagan

1. third-person plural present indicative of pagar

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Spanish

Verb

pagan (infinitive pagar)

1. Second-person plural (ustedes) present indicative form of pagar.
2. Third-person plural (ellos, ellas, also used with ustedes^?) present indicative form of pagar.