pagan

From Middle English pagan (adjective and noun), from Latin pāgānus (“rural, rustic; civilian”), replaced Middle English payen from the same root.

The meaning “not Christian” arose in Vulgar Latin, probably from the 4th century,^[1] owing to the Roman countryside being largely non-Christian, or potentially from the “civilian” meaning—denoting those not in the “army of Christ”. As a self-designation of neopagans, attested since 1990.

Partly displaced native heathen, from Old English hǣþen.

• enPR: pā'gən, IPA^(key): /ˈpeɪɡən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪɡən

pagan (not comparable)

1. Relating to, characteristic of religions that differ from main world religions.

   Under Christianization, many converted societies transformed their pagan deities into saints.

   • 2019 April 12, Paul P. Murphy, Samira Said, “Louisiana arson suspect expressed disgust with Baptist churches on Facebook”, in CNN‎^[1], archived from the original on 2 November 2021:

     Black metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that typically takes on anti-Christian, satanic and pagan themes.

   • 2024 October 26, Scottie Andrew, “Witches walk among us — but they’re not like the fictional ones you grew up with”, in CNN‎^[2], archived from the original on 6 July 2025:

     The way Green practices witchcraft defies stereotypes of broomstick-wielding, cauldron-toting, pointy-hatted witches. He doesn’t belong to a coven. He’s not Wiccan or pagan, religions that are rooted in witchcraft. He has a few cats, though they’re better suited for snuggling than serving as helpful familiars.

2. (by extension, derogatory) Savage, immoral, uncivilized, wild.

• When referring to modern paganism, the term is now often capitalized, like other terms referring to religions.

• (adhering to a non-main world religion): heathen
• (uncivilized): barbarian, barbaric (pejorative)

• (antonym(s) of “religion”):

• pantheistic
• neo-pagan

pagan (plural pagans)

1. A person not adhering to a main world religion; a follower of a pantheistic or nature-worshipping religion.

   This community has a surprising number of pagans.

2. (by extension, derogatory) An uncivilized or unsocialized person.
3. (by extension, derogatory) An unruly, badly educated child.
4. An outlaw biker who is a member of the Pagans MC.
5. (MLE) Alternative form of paigon

• (heathen): paynim
• (uncivilised): philistine, savage
• (child): brat

• neo-pagan

• peasant
• paynim

• heretic
• infidel

• “pagan”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• panga

pagan

1. third-person plural present subjunctive of pagar

• Hyphenation: pa‧gan

pagan

1. to embroil; to draw into a situation; to cause to be involved
2. to implicate; to connect or involve in an unfavorable or criminal way with something
3. to fall victim to a friendly fire
4. (military) to fall victim as collateral damage
5. to be hit by a stray bullet
6. to get caught in a crossfire
   • 2018 — Logroño, Guam P. & Arnold Y. Bustamante, Pulis, Laing 3 Tipi sa Ambush (12 October), SuperBalita

     Usa ka mamasurahay napagan usab sa pinusilay ug namatay.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

7. (games, of marbles) to hit the adjacent marble with the target marble

From Proto-Finnic *pakana, ultimately from Latin paganus, through either Old East Slavic поганъ (poganŭ) or directly from Latin, through the German crusaders. Cognate to Finnish pakana.

pagan (genitive pagana, partitive paganat)

1. pagan, heathen
2. a devil, an evil spirit

• vanapagan

pagan

1. damn, darn, heck

• IPA^(key): /ˈpaɣɐŋ/

pagan

1. third-person plural present indicative of pagar

From Proto-Finnic *pakana, from Old Church Slavonic поганъ (poganŭ). Related to Finnish pakana (“pagan”) and Ingrian pakana.

pagan (genitive paganan, partitive [please provide])

1. pagan, heathen
2. sage, seer

pagan (genitive paganan, partitive [please provide])

1. dirty, unclean

• Pertti Virtaranta; Raija Koponen (2009), “pakana”, in Marja Torikka, editor, Karjalan kielen sanakirja‎^[3], Helsinki: Kotus, →ISSN

pāgan

1. (Bavarian) alternative form of bāgan

• IPA^(key): /ˈpaɡan/ [ˈpa.ɣ̞ãn]
• Rhymes: -aɡan
• Syllabification: pa‧gan

• Audio:

  (file)

pagan

1. third-person plural present indicative of pagar

From pag (“paganism”) +‎ -an.

pagan (genitive pagana, plural pagans)

1. (Volapük Nulik) pagan, gentile

From Middle Welsh pagan, a learned borrowing from Latin pāgānus.

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈpaɡan/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈpaːɡan/
• Rhymes: -aːɡan

pagan m

1. pagan

• paganiaeth (“paganism”)

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “pagan”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies