paganism
paganism Lexical Profile
paganism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A religious belief system or tradition outside the main monotheistic or Abrahamic religions, especially one characterized by polytheism or the worship of nature.
"Historians studied how elements of ancient Roman paganism were gradually absorbed into early European festivals."
A contemporary spiritual movement that revives or draws inspiration from pre-Christian polytheistic, animistic, and nature-centered traditions.
"Modern paganism encompasses a wide variety of nature-venerating paths, including Wicca and Druidry."
Word Nuance & Usage
Historically used by Christians as a broad, sometimes pejorative label for non-Abrahamic faiths, the term has been reclaimed in modern contexts (often capitalized as Paganism or Neopaganism) by practitioners of contemporary nature-worshiping traditions.
• Rhymes for paganism
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Late Latin 'paganismus', from Classical Latin 'paganus' meaning 'villager' or 'rustic' (from 'pagus', 'country district'), as ancient polytheistic traditions persisted longest in rural areas after Christianity took hold in Roman cities.