See Also: pagan(dictionary)
Pagan(encyclopedia)
pagan 1, adjective(dictionary)
pagan 2, noun(dictionary)

pagan (iou)



pagan noun & adjective. LME.
[Latin paganus villager, rustic, civilian, non-militant, opp to miles soldier, one of the army, in Christian Latin heathen as opp. to Christian or Jewish, from pagus (rural) district, the country: see -AN. Cf. HEATHEN.]
A. noun.
A person holding religious beliefs other than those of any of the main religions of the world, spec. a non-Christian; (derog.) a follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic religion. Also transf., a person holding views not consonant with a prevailing system of belief etc. (now rare); a person considered as being of irreligious or unrestrained character or behaviour. LME.
W. Black 'But what are his politics?' said the Lady Sylvia to their political pagan. C. S. Lewis Christians and Pagans had much more in common with each other than either has with a post-Christian. Daughters of Sarah I am a practicing Pagan I follow the old religion of Wicca.
An illicit or clandestine lover; a prostitute. L16-M17.
b. adjective. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a pagan or pagans. LME.
M. Pyke In pagan antiquity every tree..had its own genius-lociits own guardian spirit. E. F. Benson It was a sort of pagan harvest festival, full of folk-lore, and was tremendously picturesque.
pagandom noun paganism; pagans collectively: M19.
paganish adjective (now rare) pagan; paganistic: L16.
pa'ganity noun (now rare or obsolete) = PAGANISM LME.
pagani'zation noun the action of making or fact of becoming pagan in character, beliefs, etc. M19.
paganize verb trans. & intrans. make or become pagan in character, beliefs, etc. E17.
paganry noun (now rare or obsolete) = PAGANISM LME.