pagan

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablereligion

   A person whose religion is outside the major world religions, often honoring nature, many gods, or pre-Christian traditions.

   Grammar: Plural is pagans; many people use it as a positive self-description.

   Patterns

   • a practicing pagan
   • pagan beliefs
   • identify as a pagan

   A practicing pagan may mark seasonal festivals with a community group.

   She identifies as a pagan and studies old European traditions.

2. 2nouncountablereligiondisapproving

   A historical Christian label for non-Christian or polytheistic outsiders, sometimes used dismissively.

   Grammar: This older use can be insulting when applied to people today.

   Patterns

   • call someone a pagan
   • pagan tribes in old records

   Old records sometimes used pagan simply to mean non-Christian.

   Because the label can sound dismissive, modern writers often prefer a community’s own name.

Word forms

Common combinations

practicing pagan

A practicing pagan explained the holiday customs to visitors.

pagan community

The pagan community organized a river cleanup.

pagan festival

The museum exhibit described a pagan festival without treating it as strange.

neo-pagan

He studies neo-pagan movements as part of religious history.

Synonyms and how they differ

heathen

Heathen is older and often more insulting; pagan can be neutral or proudly self-used today.

polytheist

Polytheist is precise for belief in many gods; not all pagans are polytheists.

animist

Animist fits belief that spirits inhabit nature, a narrower idea than pagan.

Opposites

Word family

paganism noun

Religions or practices associated with pagans.

pagan adjective

Relating to pagans or their beliefs.

paganize verb

To make pagan or adopt pagan forms; rare.

Commonly confused: pagan or atheist? pagan or paegan?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “pagan”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words