You searched for: “pagans
pagan (PAY guhn) (s) (noun), pagans (pl)
1. An offensive term that deliberately insults someone who does not acknowledge the God of the Bible, Torah, or Koran: A pagan has been identified as a person who holds religious beliefs other than those of the primary world religions.

Some pagans worshiped the gods of fire and rain.

Pagans are still defined by some religious leaders as those who are not members of their particular religious groups or those whose religions are regarded as questionable.

Pagan in the religious sense is often said to derive from conservative rural adherence to the old gods after the Christianization of Roman towns and cities.

2. Etymology: from about 1375, Late Latin paganus, "rustic, peasant", in classical Latin, "villager, rustic, civilian", from pagus, "rural district".

The ancient Romans considered those who lived in outlying villages as uncouth, uneducated people who didn't know much about culture, manners, or the dominant religion of the time.

To worship as an idol.
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This entry is located in the following unit: pago-, pag-, pagan- (page 1)
Word Entries at Get Words: “pagans
pagan (PAY guhn) (s) (noun), pagans (pl)
1. A person or people who honor or pay homage to multiple gods instead of a monotheistic or one God: The pagans worshiped the gods of fire and rain among other things.

Some historians say that the idols of pagans were destroyed by Christian missionaries.

Some religious people are convinced that unreligious and atheistic people are pagans.

2. Etymology: from Latin paganus, "rustic, peasant" and is derived from Latin pagus, "the country, rural district".

From the second century on, Latin paganus had the additional meaning of "civilian, non-soldier". Early Christians were said to be fond of military metaphors, regarding themselves as "soldiers of Christ"; so, they applied the "non-soldier" word, or "heathen", to those who had not enlisted in the Church as "soldiers".

This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group P (page 1)