pagan

See also: Pagan, pag- -an, Pagán, págán, and păgân

English

Etymology

From Middle English pagan (adjective and noun), from Latin pāgānus (rural, rustic", later "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.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: pā'gən, IPA(key): /ˈpeɪɡən/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪɡən

Adjective

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

Usage notes

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

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • (antonym(s) of religion):

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

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.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

References

  1. ^ Augustine, Divers. Quaest. 83.

Anagrams

Asturian

Verb

pagan

  1. third-person plural present subjunctive of pagar

Cebuano

Pronunciation

  • Hyphenation: pa‧gan

Verb

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

Estonian

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin paganus, through either Old East Slavic поганъ (poganŭ) or directly from Latin, through the German crusaders. Cognate to Finnish pakana.

Noun

pagan (genitive pagana, partitive paganat)

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

Declension

Declension of pagan (ÕS type 2/õpik, no gradation)
singular plural
nominative pagan paganad
accusative nom.
gen. pagana
genitive paganate
partitive paganat paganaid
illative paganasse paganatesse
paganaisse
inessive paganas paganates
paganais
elative paganast paganatest
paganaist
allative paganale paganatele
paganaile
adessive paganal paganatel
paganail
ablative paganalt paganatelt
paganailt
translative paganaks paganateks
paganaiks
terminative paganani paganateni
essive paganana paganatena
abessive paganata paganateta
comitative paganaga paganatega

Derived terms

  • vanapagan

Interjection

pagan

  1. damn, darn, heck

Galician

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈpaɣɐŋ/

Verb

pagan

  1. third-person plural present indicative of pagar

Livvi

Etymology

From Old Church Slavonic поганъ (poganŭ). Related to Finnish pakana (pagan) and Ingrian pakana.

Noun

pagan (genitive paganan, partitive [please provide])

  1. pagan, heathen
  2. sage, seer

Adjective

pagan (genitive paganan, partitive [please provide])

  1. dirty, unclean

References

  • Pertti Virtaranta, Raija Koponen (2009) “pakana”, in Marja Torikka, editor, Karjalan kielen sanakirja[1], Helsinki: Kotus, →ISSN

Old High German

Verb

pāgan

  1. (Bavarian) alternative form of bāgan

Spanish

Pronunciation

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

Verb

pagan

  1. third-person plural present indicative of pagar

Volapük

Etymology

From pag (paganism) +‎ -an.

Noun

pagan (nominative plural pagans)

  1. (Volapük Nulik) pagan, gentile

Declension

Declension of pagan
singular plural
nominative pagan pagans
genitive pagana paganas
dative pagane paganes
accusative pagani paganis
vocative 1 o pagan! o pagans!
predicative 2 paganu paganus

1 status as a case is disputed
2 in later, non-classical Volapük only

Welsh

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Noun

pagan m

  1. pagan

Derived terms

Mutation

Mutated forms of pagan
radical soft nasal aspirate
pagan bagan mhagan phagan

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

  • 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