heathen

Etymology

From Middle English hethen, from Old English hǣþen, from Proto-West Germanic *haiþin, from Proto-Germanic *haiþinaz (“heathen, pagan”, adj), equivalent to heath (“heathland”) + -en. Cognate with West Frisian heiden, Dutch heiden, Middle High German heiden, German Heiden, German Heide, Swedish heden, Icelandic heiðinn. See also Proto-Germanic *haiduz, Old Norse heiðr (honour, bright, moor), Icelandic heiður (honour).

adj

1. Not adhering to an Abrahamic religion; pagan.
2. (by extension) Uncultured; uncivilized; savage, philistine.
3. Alternative letter-case form of Heathen (pertaining or adhering to the Germanic neo-pagan faith Heathenry).

noun

1. A person who does not follow an Abrahamic religion; a pagan.
   V. Knox If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may preach it and they may hear it, and yet both continue unconverted heathens.
   On hearing his cries two heathen who were hunting on the lagoon ran up, and they were bold enough to try to avenge the injury, making ready to shoot arrows at the soldiers, who fired two gunshots just to frighten them […] 1930, H. E. Bolton, Anza's California expeditions, volume 1, page 403
2. (by extension) An uncultured or uncivilized person, philistine.
3. Alternative letter-case form of Heathen (an adherent of the Germanic neo-pagan faith of Heathenry).