heathen
/ˈhiːðən/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.10 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
adj
Alternative letter-case form of Heathen (pertaining or adhering to the Germanic neo-pagan faith Heathenry).
noun
A pagan; someone who is neither Christian, Jewish, nor Muslim (other Abrahamic or monotheistic religions may or may not be included)
noun
An uncultured or uncivilized person, philistine.
Example Sentences
- "War of holy principles I'm seeking God's help in your destruction Slit the throat of heathen man And let his blood dilute the water, bury your dead"
- "On the heathens coming alongside the vessel, Otnit assumes the character of a merchant, and is admitted to enter the port."
- "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 […]"
- "[…] these examples, and others I have come across, illustrate most strikingly how Heathens follow a reactionary politics carefully constructed by politicians and pundits to help whites feel like victims, thereby making them useful political tools."
Etymology
From Middle English hethen, from Old English hǣþen, from Proto-West Germanic *haiþin, from Proto-Germanic *haiþīnaz (“heathen, pagan”, adjective), equivalent to heath (“heathland”) + -en. Cognate with West Frisian heiden, Dutch heiden, Middle High German heiden, German Heiden, German Heide, Swedish heden, Danish hedensk (from heden + -sk), Icelandic heiðinn. See also Proto-Germanic *haiduz, Old Norse heiðr (honour, bright, moor), Icelandic heiður (honour).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Religion.
Inflected Forms
heathener (comparative)
more heathen (comparative)
heathenest (superlative)
most heathen (superlative)
heathens (plural)