n. pl. hea·thens or heathen 1. Offensive a. An adherent of a religion that does not worship the God of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. b. Such persons considered as a group. 2. Heathen An adherent of a Neopagan religion that seeks to revive the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Germanic peoples. 3. Informal a. One who is regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened. b. Such persons considered as a group. [Middle English hethen, from Old English hǣthen; see kaito- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] heathen adj. heathen·dom, heathen·ism, heathen·ry n. heathen·ish adj. |
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