pagan
pagan Lexical Profile
pagan Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to, characteristic of, or holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions, especially ancient polytheistic or nature-worshipping traditions.
"Many winter holiday traditions have roots in ancient pagan festivals celebrating the solstice."
• noun
A person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized world religions, historically referring to an adherent of ancient polytheism in the Greco-Roman world.
"Early Christian missionaries traveled across northern Europe hoping to convert the local pagans."
An adherent of a contemporary pantheistic, polytheistic, or nature-worshipping religious movement, such as Wicca or Neo-Druidism.
"Modern pagans often gather at ancient stone circles to mark the changing of the seasons."
Word Nuance & Usage
Historically used as a pejorative term by early Christians for polytheists, 'pagan' is now often used neutrally in historical contexts or adopted positively (sometimes capitalized as 'Pagan') by adherents of modern nature-based spiritual movements.
• Rhymes for pagan
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin 'paganus', meaning 'country dweller' or 'rustic', from Classical Latin 'pagus' ('country district' or 'village'), as ancient polytheistic traditions persisted longest in rural areas after Christianity became the urban norm in the Roman Empire.