pagan
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pagan¹
- /ˈpeɪɡən/
Rhymes with -eɪɡən
Where it comes from
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).
adjective
-
Relating to, characteristic of religions that differ from main world religions.
Under Christianization, many converted societies transformed their pagan deities into saints.
Similar: heathen, heathenish, heathenly, heathenous · Opposite: Christian, Muslim, Jewish
-
Savage, immoral, uncivilized, wild.
Similar: barbarian, barbaric, heathen, wolfish, animalistic, barbarious, barbarous, brutal, brutish, Gothic, Gothlike, grim
noun pagans
- A person not adhering to a main world religion; a follower of a pantheistic or nature-worshipping religion. This community has a surprising number of pagans.
-
An uncivilized or unsocialized person.
Similar: paynim
-
An unruly, badly educated child.
Similar: brat
- An outlaw biker who is a member of the Pagans MC.
- Alternative form of paigon
Similar: philistine, savage
Pagan²
- /ˈpeɪɡən/
Rhymes with -eɪɡən
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Latin pāgānus (“rustic, rural”).
proper noun Pagans
- A male given name from Latin.
- A female given name. 'I've always believed that one of the reasons she never named Pagan's father was to spare her a similar pain.' 'You don't know who he is?' 'No. And, at the risk of sounding like Candida, I'd give anything to find out.'
- A surname. Mrs Pagan was delivered of a posthumous child, and thereafter along with the infant (a girl), she brought a process of aliment against John Pagan, who was a hosier in Dumfries, and alleged to be wealthy,[…]
Pagan³
- /pəˈɡɑːn/
Rhymes with -ɑːn
Where it comes from
Borrowing from Burmese ပုဂံ (pu.gam). Doublet of Bagan.
proper noun
- The city of Bagan, Myanmar.
- The 9th- to 13th-century Burmese kingdom which had its capital at this city.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: heathen, heathenish, gentile, infidel, irreligious, icon, idolater, sign, everywhere, nonbeliever, unbeliever, polytheist, freethinker, atheist, heretic, agnostic
noun
Similar: philistine, savage
Translations
Every language
adj relating to non-main world religions
| Español | pagano |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 異教的 /异教的 yìjiào de |
| Kiswahili | kafiri |
| Português | pagão |
| Français | païen |
| Deutsch | heidnisch |
| Italiano | pagano |
| Ελληνικά | ειδωλολατρικός eidololatrikós |
| Română | păgân |
| Русский | язы́ческий jazýčeskij |
| Tiếng Việt | ngoại đạo |
| العربية | وَثَنِيّ waṯaniyy |
| עברית | פָּגָנִי paganí, אֱלִילִי 'elilí |
adj immoral, uncivilized, savage
| 中文 | 野蛮的 |
|---|---|
| Kiswahili | kafiri |
| Français | immoral, incivilisé |
| Română | păgân |
| العربية | وَثَنِيّ waṯaniyy, جَاهِل jāhil, وَحْشِيّ waḥšiyy |
noun person not adhering to a main world religion
| Español | pagano, pagana |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 이교도 igyodo |
| 日本語 | 異教徒 ikyōto |
| 中文 | 異教徒 /异教徒 yìjiàotú |
| हिन्दी | बुतपरस्त butparast |
| Kiswahili | kafiri, mpagani |
| Português | pagão, pagã |
| Français | païen, païenne |
| Deutsch | Heide, Heidin, Ungläubiger, Ungläubige |
| Italiano | pagano, pagana |
| Ελληνικά | ειδωλολάτρης eidololátris, ειδωλολάτρισσα eidololátrissa |
| Română | păgân, păgână |
| Русский | язы́чник jazýčnik, язы́чница jazýčnica |
| العربية | وَثَنِيّ waṯaniyy, وَثَنِيَّة waṯaniyya, مُشْرِك mušrik |
| עברית | עוֹבֵד אֱלִילִים 'ovéd 'elilím |
Talk about this word "pagan." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pagan. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. pagan. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pagan "pagan." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pagan.Cite this
@misc{pagan_2026,
title = {pagan},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pagan},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
