Wordwyrt

heathen

/ˈhiðən/HEE-thuhn
/ˈhiðən/HEE-thuhn

Meaninga heath-dweller, a pagan

Common meaning: someone not of a main world religion

Other meanings: pagan

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishhæþensource
  2. Middle Englishhethenesource
  3. Englishheathen‘someone not of a main world religion’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old English hæþen ‘a heath-dweller, a pagan’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry HEATHEN, p. 259 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • hæþen Old English “a heath-dweller, a pagan”

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