FromMiddle Englishhethen, fromOld Englishhǣþen, fromProto-West Germanic*haiþin, fromProto-Germanic*haiþinaz(“heathen, pagan”,adj), equivalent toheath(“heathland”) +‎-en. Cognate withWest Frisianheiden,Dutchheiden,Middle High Germanheiden,GermanHeiden,GermanHeide,Swedishheden,Danishhedensk (fromheden+sk),Icelandicheiðinn. See alsoProto-Germanic*haiduz,Old Norseheiðr(honour, bright, moor),Icelandicheiður(honour).

• IPA^(key):/ˈhiːðən/

• Audio(US):

  (file)

• Rhymes:-iːðən

heathen (comparativeheathenerormoreheathen,superlativeheathenestormostheathen)

1. Not adhering to anAbrahamicreligion;pagan.
   • 2006,Jeff Hanneman, “Jihad”,Tom Araya (lyrics), performed bySlayer:

     War of holy principles
     I'm seeking God's help in your destruction
     Slit the throat ofheathen man
     And let his blood dilute the water, bury your dead

2. (by extension)Uncultured;uncivilized;savage;barbarian.
3. Alternativeletter-case form ofHeathen(pertaining or adhering to the Germanicneo-pagan faithHeathenry).

heathen (pluralheathensorheathen)

1. Apagan; someone who is neitherChristian norJewish (otherAbrahamic ormonotheisticreligions may or may not be included)
   • V. Knox

     If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may preach it and they may hear it, and yet both continue unconvertedheathens.

   • 1930, H. E. Bolton,Anza's California expeditions, volume 1, page403:

     On hearing his cries twoheathen 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[…]

2. (by extension) An uncultured or uncivilized person,philistine.
3. Alternativeletter-case form ofHeathen(an adherent of the Germanicneo-pagan faith ofHeathenry).

•  heathen on Wikipedia.Wikipedia