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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Heathen \Hea"then\ (h[=e]"[th]'n), a.
1. Gentile; pagan; as, a heathen author. "The heathen
philosopher." "All in gold, like heathen gods." --Shak.
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2. Barbarous; unenlightened; heathenish.
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3. Irreligious; scoffing.
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Heathen \Hea"then\ (h[=e]"[th]'n; 277), n.; pl. {Heathens}
(-[th]'nz) or collectively {Heathen}. [OE. hethen, AS.
h[=ae][eth]en, prop. an adj. fr. h[=ae][eth] heath, and
orig., therefore, one who lives in the country or on the
heaths and in the woods (cf. pagan, fr. pagus village); akin
to OS. h[=e][eth]in, adj., D. heiden a heathen, G. heide,
OHG. heidan, Icel. hei[eth]inn, adj., Sw. heden, Goth.
hai[thorn]n[=o], n. fem. See {Heath}, and cf. {Hoiden}.]
1. An individual of the pagan or unbelieving nations, or
those which worship idols and do not acknowledge the true
God; a pagan; an idolater.
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2. An irreligious person.
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If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may
preach it and they may hear it, and yet both
continue unconverted heathens. --V. Knox.
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{The heathen}, as the term is used in the Scriptures, all
people except the Jews; now used of all people except
Christians, Jews, and Mohammedans.
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Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for
thine inheritance. --Ps. ii. 8.

Syn: Pagan; gentile. See {Pagan}.
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