paganism

From Latin pāgānismus (“heathenism”), from pāgānus (“peasant, rural, rustic”). The term was used pejoratively by local Orthodox Christian Demonyms to belittle what remained of alternative native ideas and ideals. By surface analysis, pagan +‎ -ism.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpeɪɡənɪzm̩/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pa‧gan‧ism

paganism (countable and uncountable, plural paganisms)

1. Any indigenous polytheistic religion.

   Most people in that region practise their own form of paganism.

2. Any of a class of religions often associated with nature rituals.

   Various neopagan movements have arisen, each advancing its own form of paganism. Some are monotheist.

• pagan
• neo-paganism

• Christianity
• heathen
• heathendom
• heathenism
• gentile

Borrowed from French paganisme.

paganism n (uncountable)

1. paganism

   Synonym: păgânism

• paganism in Academia Română, Micul dicționar academic, ediția a II-a, Bucharest: Univers Enciclopedic, 2010. →ISBN