From a wide variety of Middle English forms including hevene, heven, hevin, and hewin (“heaven, sky”), from Old English heofon, heofone (“heaven, sky”), from Proto-West Germanic *hebn (“heaven, sky”), of uncertain origin.
Cognate with Scots heiven, hewin (“heaven, sky”), Middle Dutch heven (“sky, heaven”), Low German Heven (“heaven, sky”), and possibly the rare Icelandic and Old Norse hifinn (“heaven, sky”), which are all probably dissimilated forms of the Germanic root which appears in Old Norse himinn (“heaven, sky”), Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃 (himins, “heaven, sky”), Old Swedish himin, Old Danish himæn and probably also (in another variant form) Old Saxon himil, Old Dutch himil (modern Dutch hemel), and Old High German himil (German Himmel).
Accepting these as cognates, some scholars propose a further derivation from Proto-Germanic *himinaz (“cover, cloud cover, firmament, sky, heaven”).
From a wide variety of Middle English forms including hevene, heven, hevin, and hewin (“heaven, sky”), from Old English heofon, heofone (“heaven, sky”), from Proto-West Germanic *hebn (“heaven, sky”), of uncertain origin.
Cognate with Scots heiven, hewin (“heaven, sky”), Middle Dutch heven (“sky, heaven”), Low German Heven (“heaven, sky”), and possibly the rare Icelandic and Old Norse hifinn (“heaven, sky”), which are all probably dissimilated forms of the Germanic root which appears in Old Norse himinn (“heaven, sky”), Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃 (himins, “heaven, sky”), Old Swedish himin, Old Danish himæn and probably also (in another variant form) Old Saxon himil, Old Dutch himil (modern Dutch hemel), and Old High German himil (German Himmel).
Accepting these as cognates, some scholars propose a further derivation from Proto-Germanic *himinaz (“cover, cloud cover, firmament, sky, heaven”).
Meanings
(countable, dated, plural-normally, poetic, uncountable) The sky, specifically: ▸ The distant sky in which the sun, moon, and stars appear or move; the firmament; the celestial spheres.
Above is Heaven, Below are Suzhou and Hangzhou 2006, Peter Carroll translating a maxim of the Southern Song dynasty in Between Heaven and Modernity: Reconstructing Suzhou, 1895–1937
What obscured light the heauens did grant. c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
The Heauens...are carried in 24 houres from East to West. 1625, Nathanæl Carpenter, chapter 4, in Geography delineated forth in two bookes, volume I, page 77:
In ascending orderly vpwardes...The first is the Spheare of the Moone...The seuenth the Spheare of Saturne, The eight the Spheare of the fixed Starres, commonly called the firmament. The ninth is called the second moueable or Christall heauen, The tenth is called the first moueable, and the eleuenth is called the Emperiall heauen, where God and his Angels are said to dwell. 1594, Thomas Blundeville, M. Blundeuile his Exercises, act I scene 3:
The ordinaunce...made such a great noyse and thunderyng that it seemed the heaven would have fallen. 1585, Nicholas de Nicolay, translated by Thomas Washington, The nauigations, peregrinations and voyages, made into Turkie by Nicholas Nicholay, I vi 4:
God framed alſo the Stars and conſtellations; ſome fixed for the Ornament of Heaven and might, very many in number. 1656, Tho[mas] Stanley, “[The Doctrine of Plato Delivered by Alcinous.] Chap[ter] XIV. Of the Soul of the World, the Sphears and Stars.”, in The History of Philosophy, the Second Volume, volume II, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring: […], →OCLC, 5th part (Containing the Academick Philosophers), page 74:
All that is vnder the heauen. 1535, Coverdale Bible, Ecclesiastes 3:1
In an infinite...universe the stars would collectively outshine the Sun and flood the heavens with light far more intense than is observed. 1981, E.R. Harrison, Cosmology, XII 250:
The moon's path lies in that belt of the heavens known as the zodiac. 1930 March, Nature, 179 2:
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) The sky, specifically: ▸ The near sky in which weather, flying animals, etc. appear; (obsolete) the atmosphere; the climate.
Everie...Countrie, by the nature of the place, the climate of the Heaven, and the influence of the starres hath certaine vertues. 1581, Stefano Guazzo, translated by George Pettie, Ciuile Conuersation, I 26:
Fellow-believers...fed the birds of heaven with the carcases of pious and reverend Church-men. 1660, George Mackenzie, Religio Stoici, II 44:
The qualitie of mercie is not ſtraind,
it droppeth as the gentle raine from heauen
vpon the place beneath c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) The sky, specifically: ▸ A model displaying the movement of the celestial bodies, an orrery.
Euery man cannot, with Archimedes, make a heauen of brasse. 1600, Thomas Nashe, Summers Last Will:
(capitalized, countable, uncountable, usually) The abode of God or the gods, traditionally conceived as beyond the sky; especially: ▸ The abode of God and of the angels and saints in His presence.
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n. 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, line 263:
Christ's coming from the heavens has entered into the life of humanity as the Founder of the world to come. 1906 July 30, Washington Post, 12 4:
Conſider firſt that the excommunicated Prelate ſaith... Kings are not immediatly from God, as by any ſpeciall Ordinance ſent from Heaven by the miniſtery of Angels and Prophets, there were but ſome few ſuch, as Moſes, Saul, David, etc. 1644, Samuel Rutherford, Lex, Rex: The Law and the Prince, V 16:
And there was a battel in heauen. Michael & his Angels foght againſt the dragon, and the dragon foght & his Angels. But they preuailed not, nether was their place founde anie more in heauen. 1560, Geneva Bible, Revelation 12:7–8
(broadly, capitalized, countable, often, uncountable) The abode of God or the gods, traditionally conceived as beyond the sky; especially: ▸ The abode of the Abrahamic God; similar abodes of the gods in other religions and traditions, such as Mount Olympus.
With Ioue in heauen, or some where else. c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
The heaven of Siva is in the midst of the eternal snows and glaciers of Keilás, one of the highest and deepest groups of the stupendous summits of Hémaláya. 1841, Mountstuart Elphinstone, The History of India, I ii iv 169:
To grasp the Chinese's notion of Heaven, we must look at the contexts in which tian is used... In the Book of Odes (Shi jing 詩經), which includes poems dated between the eleventh and seventh centuries BCE, tian is a place where the Heavenly Thearch resides. 2011, Lillian Tseng, Picturing Heaven in Early China, section 2:
Like the Buddhas, they [the Jains] believe that there is a plurality of heavens and hells. 1832, Charles Coleman, The Mythology of the Hindus, XIII 220:
As he [Muhammad] was returning, in the fourth Heaven, Moses advised him to goe back to God. 1649, Alexander Ross translating the Sieur Du Ryer, The Alcoran Of Mahomet, Translated out of the Arabique into French... newly Englished, 406
(broadly, capitalized, countable, uncountable, usually) The abode of God or the gods, traditionally conceived as beyond the sky; especially: ▸ Providence, the will of God or the council of the gods; fate.
[…]The will
And high permission of all-ruling Heaven. 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
[…]he cannot thriue,
Vnlesse her prayers, whom heauen delights to heare
And loues to grant, repreeue him from the wrath
Of greatest Iustice. c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
Heaven commands thine arm
To lift the sure-destroying sword! 1793, Henry Boyd, Poems, II iv 270:
After that thou shalt haue knowen that the heauens doe rule. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Daniel 4:26:
There's nothing we can do but pray to heaven for good luck. 1992, E. Yoshikawa, translated by W.S. Wilson, Taiko, II 186:
Cosmologists regarded Heaven as a force—composed of qi 氣, which was divided into yin 陰 and yang 陽 aspects—that kept the cosmos moving. 2011, Lillian Tseng, Picturing Heaven in Early China, section 3:
...executing the just judgment of offended Heaven upon cattle-houghers, traitors, and assassins. 1886 May 8, The Pall Mall Gazette, 1 1:
(countable, uncountable) The afterlife of the blessed dead, traditionally conceived as opposed to an afterlife of the wicked and unjust (compare hell); specifically
I wonder what your idea of heaven would be—A beautiful vacuum filled with wealthy monogamists, all powerful and members of the best families drinking themselves to death. And hell would probably be an ugly vacuum full of poor polygamists unable to obtain booze... To me heaven would be a big bull ring with me holding two barrera seats and a trout stream outside that no one else was allowed to fish in and two lovely houses in the town; one where I would have my wife and children and be monogamous and love them truly and well and the other where I would have my nine beautiful mistresses on 9 different floors... 1925 July 1, Ernest Hemingway, letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald
(countable, uncountable) The afterlife of the blessed dead, traditionally conceived as opposed to an afterlife of the wicked and unjust (compare hell); specifically: ▸ Paradise, the afterlife of the souls who are not sent to a place of punishment or purification such as hell, purgatory, or limbo; the state or condition of being in the presence of God after death.
Teache the people to gett heuen with fastynge. 1544, Richard Tracy, A supplycacion to our moste soueraigne lorde Kynge henry the eyght Kynge of England of Fraunce and of Irelande, section C:
Wee haue a great high Priest, that is passed into the heauens. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Hebrews 4:14:
...what I speake
My body shall make good vpon this earth,
Or my diuine soule answer it in heauen. 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene 1]:
(broadly, capitalized, countable, often, uncountable) The afterlife of the blessed dead, traditionally conceived as opposed to an afterlife of the wicked and unjust (compare hell); specifically: ▸ The afterlife of the blessed dead in other religions and traditions, such as the Pure Land or Elysium.
The belief in ascending to Heaven after death became widespread in the Han dynasty. 2011, Lillian Tseng, Picturing Heaven in Early China, section 3:
(broadly, countable, uncountable) Any paradise; any blissful place or experience.
While eating my snack I decided to walk around the house and I saw the hallways change into beautiful valleys and oceans. The television screen appeared on the wall. It was so beautiful that I thought I was in heaven. 2002, Summersill Elementary School, Time Travel, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 16:
England, that was formerly the heaven, would be now the hell for women. 1660 November 14, a speech in the House of Commons in W. Cobbett, Parl. Hist. (1808), IV 145
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n. 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Ile follow thee and make a heauen of hell. c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
Such a shop as that...would be quite a heaven upon earth to me. 1782, F. Burney, Cecilia, I iii iv 51
They thought strikes and hunger marches the quintessence of politics and Soviet Russia heaven on earth. 1940, H.G. Wells, Babes in the Darkling Wood, II iii 198:
(broadly, countable, uncountable) A state of bliss; a peaceful ecstasy.
“Because she was modest and beautiful and he thought he was in heaven when she was around?” “Yes, that's what he said.” 2008, Robert Scott, Driven To Murder, Pinnacle Books, →ISBN, page 163:
We're in heaven. 2002, DJ Sammy; Yanou; Frank Reinert; Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance; Bob Clearmountain, “Heaven”, in Heaven, performed by Yanou and Do (singer), Title track:
I'd turn it up to 10 and it sounded all distorted and I remember feeling like I was in heaven! 2014, Joe Satriani, Jake Brown, Strange Beautiful Music: A Musical Memoir, BenBella Books, →ISBN, page 8:
She was in heaven — she'd never seen so many stars gathered in one place. She already had her eye on Charlie Dollar. Oh yes, Charlie Dollar might be ancient, but he was still raging hot in a Jack Nicholson kind of way. 2007, Jackie Collins, Drop Dead Beautiful: A Novel, St. Martin's Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 452:
Husbandes are in heauen...whose wiues scold not. 1550, J. Heywood, Dialogue Prov. Eng. Tongue, II vii
Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,
But to be young was very heaven! 1809 October 26, William Wordsworth, “The French Revolution as It Appeared to Enthusiasts at Its Commencement”, in Friend, No. 11, ll. 4-5:
He would just stare at me and say, “You are beautiful, you are so beautiful.” I was in heaven hearing this. 2000, Veronica Brooks, It Could Lead to Dancing, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 18:
(countable, informal, uncountable, with a modifier) Similarly blissful afterlives, places, or states for particular people, animals, or objects.
Perhaps it has gone to the dog heaven, and is wagging somewhere in glory. 1867, J.W. De Forest, Miss Ravenel's Conversion, XXVI 368:
The Dave Clark 5 deserve a place in Rock & Roll Heaven right along there beside Question Mark & The Mysterians, the Standells, Count Five, the Troggs, and the Music Machine. 1972, M. Sanders, Flash:
The building was once a candy factory, which makes it, Frazier says, mouse heaven. 1986 February 3, Newsweek, section 70:
One gray beard who found the gates closed shinned up the fifteen foot fence...and dropped into the baseball heaven he was seeking. 1908 October 5, Chicago Tribune, 3 1:
His pet name for Easthampton is ‘Goose-heaven’, and he harps upon the idea eternally. 1879 February, J. H. Payne, Scribner's Monthly, 470 2:
Ricky bumps it into the garden, and tells me it is going to ‘the cooker heaven’. ‘Where it will be this size,’ adds his wife, her hands making the size of a brick. She means that it is off to the squasher. 2003 August 1, Church Times, 28 3:
Goronwy has gone to goldfish heaven where he is swimming in a beautiful clear blue ocean with all the other fishies. 2004 July 17, Western Mail, Cardiff, section 15:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
heavens
Number=Plur
lexicographic
heav'n
alternative, poetic
lexicographic
Antonyms
hell (antonym(s) of “paradise”) · nightmare (antonym(s) of “blissful place or experience”) · horror (antonym(s) of “blissful place or experience”)
ota اوچماق (paradise and upper-world) · ckb ئاسمان (sky) · et taevas (paradise and upper-world) · zza gırazmin (sky) · te స్వర్గం (paradise and upper-world) · cmn 天堂 (paradise and upper-world) · chy séano (paradise and upper-world) · ja 空 (sky) · hu mennyország (paradise and upper-world) · nb himmel (paradise and upper-world) · arc שְׁמַיָּא (sky) · ms jannat (paradise and upper-world) · zza azmin (diq) (sky) · ceb langit (sky) · mba langit (sky) · ru небеса́ (paradise and upper-world) · ja 天 (sky) · lb Himmel (paradise and upper-world) · pro cel (paradise and upper-world) · uga 𐎌𐎎𐎎 (sky) · ky бейиш (paradise and upper-world) · cs obloha (sky) · bg рай (paradise and upper-world) · sv himmel (sky) · ru небеса́ (sky) · my ကောင်းကင်ဘုံ (paradise and upper-world) · mi rangi (paradise and upper-world) · clt vuoruo (paradise and upper-world) · ms sorga (paradise and upper-world) · uk небеса́ (paradise and upper-world) · bg небе́ (sky) · ti ሰማይ (sky) · ny mlengalenga (sky) · cu ⱀⰵⰱⱁ (sky) · ja 楽園 (paradise and upper-world) · haw lani (sky) · hi देवलोक (blissful place or experience) · he שָׁמַיִם (sky) · sh не̏бо (sky) · ko 하늘나라 (paradise and upper-world) · vi trời (sky) · ain リクンモシㇼ (paradise and upper-world) · gu વહિશ્ત (paradise and upper-world) · id surga (paradise and upper-world) · nn paradis (paradise and upper-world) · ce стигал (sky) · sh небеса (sky) · nl hemel (paradise and upper-world) · kk жұмақ (paradise and upper-world) · sv himmel (paradise and upper-world) · gu સ્વર્ગ (paradise and upper-world) · he גַּן עֵדֶן (paradise and upper-world) · lv debesis (paradise and upper-world) · fur cîl (sky) · nl lucht (sky) · nn sky (sky) · iso idedeghe (sky) · ro paradis (paradise and upper-world) · mi rangi (sky) · nv yáʼąąsh (paradise and upper-world) · zza cenet (diq) (paradise and upper-world) · tl kalangitan (paradise and upper-world) · kmr asîman (sky) · nl uitspansel (sky) · oj giizhig (sky) · ur جَنَّت (paradise and upper-world) · hu ég (paradise and upper-world) · cy nef (paradise and upper-world) · fa بهشت (blissful place or experience) · my ကောင်းကင် (sky) · hy երկինք (sky) · ps هسک (sky) · kk аспан (sky) · lt dangus (paradise and upper-world) · nrn Chimeri (sky) · hu mennybolt (sky) · fr paradis (blissful place or experience) · ceb langit (paradise and upper-world) · grc οὐρανός (sky) · bn ফেরদৌস (paradise and upper-world) · hi अम्बर (sky) · mt sema (sky) · vi thiên đường (paradise and upper-world) · njo-jgl kotak (sky) · uk рай (paradise and upper-world) · dsb njebjo (sky) · pt Paraíso (paradise and upper-world) · sq pjetë (sky) · wyi tharing-beek (paradise and upper-world) · el παράδεισος (blissful place or experience) · pt céu (paradise and upper-world) · ur آکاش (sky) · hi आकाश (sky) · yi הימל (paradise and upper-world) · tr gök (sky) · akz abahli iisa (paradise and upper-world) · et paradiis (paradise and upper-world) · stq Heemel (sky) · ckb بەھەشت (paradise and upper-world) · uk не́бо (sky) · fur cîl (paradise and upper-world) · cy wybr (sky) · mnc ᡩᡝᡵᡤᡳ ᠠᠪᡴᠠ (paradise and upper-world) · mk небо (sky) · ms loga (paradise and upper-world) · yua kaʼan (sky) · nv wótʼááh (sky) · he פרדיסא (paradise and upper-world) · wam kéesuck (sky) · alt кӧк (sky) · kk бейіш (paradise and upper-world) · eo ĉielo (paradise and upper-world) · la caelum (paradise and upper-world) · eo ĉielo (sky) · el ουράνια (sky) · enm welken (sky) · mk рај (paradise and upper-world) · ko 천국 (paradise and upper-world) · sa स्वर्गलोक (paradise and upper-world) · zdj mbingu (paradise and upper-world) · pt céu (sky) · mt ġenna (paradise and upper-world) · ce ялсамани (paradise and upper-world) · zza sema (diq) (sky) · ia paradiso (paradise and upper-world) · fi paratiisi (paradise and upper-world) · ba йәннәт (blissful place or experience) · wam kesuck (sky) · hu ég (sky) · bn আসমান (sky) · cs nebe (sky) · de Firmament (sky) · bn স্বর্গ (sky) · hu égbolt (sky) · arz الجنة (paradise and upper-world) · sh ра̑ј (paradise and upper-world) · gl ceo (sky) · nl paradijs (paradise and upper-world) · hu menny (paradise and upper-world) · nb paradis (paradise and upper-world) · ar سَمَاء (sky) · fa بهشت (paradise and upper-world) · sw mbingu (sky) · swg Hemmel (paradise and upper-world) · it cielo (sky) · ko 락원 (paradise and upper-world) · pox nebü (sky) · mr वैकुंठ (paradise and upper-world) · tl kalangitan (sky) · pdt Himmel (sky) · ba йәннәт (paradise and upper-world) · fr ciel (paradise and upper-world) · fy himel (sky) · ba ожмах (blissful place or experience) · ko 하늘 (paradise and upper-world) · ko 천당 (paradise and upper-world) · roa-opt ceo (sky) · nl tuin der lusten (paradise and upper-world) · de Paradies (paradise and upper-world) · yi גן־עדן (paradise and upper-world) · tum macanya (sky) · yi הימל (sky) · lt rojus (paradise and upper-world) · dtp surga (paradise and upper-world) · nn himmel (paradise and upper-world) · hi गगन (sky) · mg lanitra (sky) · dlm cil (sky) · kk жәннат (paradise and upper-world) · ko 하늘 (sky) · mh aelōn̄in lan̄ (paradise and upper-world) · sco the guid place (paradise and upper-world) · ar سَمَاء f جَنَّة f فِرْدَوْس (paradise and upper-world) · oc cèl (sky) · as সৰগ (paradise and upper-world) · got 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃 (paradise and upper-world) · sk nebo (paradise and upper-world) · tr cennet (paradise and upper-world) · fr paradis (paradise and upper-world) · ug جەننەت (paradise and upper-world) · hi स्वर्ग (paradise and upper-world) · fr au-delà (paradise and upper-world) · enm hevene (paradise and upper-world) · it cielo (paradise and upper-world) · gu ફિરદોસ (paradise and upper-world) · mt ġenna (sky) · th สวรรค์ (paradise and upper-world) · ur فِرْدَوس (paradise and upper-world) · lad גן עדן (paradise and upper-world) · bn বেহেশ্ত (paradise and upper-world) · tl paraiso (paradise and upper-world) · hi वैकुंठ (blissful place or experience) · mnc ᠠᠪᡴᠠ (sky) · fa جنت (paradise and upper-world) · gl paraíso (paradise and upper-world) · fur paradîs (sky) · ckb بەھەشت (blissful place or experience) · cs ráj (paradise and upper-world) · fo himmiríki (paradise and upper-world) · bal جنت (paradise and upper-world) · sq qiell (sky) · pl niebo (paradise and upper-world) · or ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ (paradise and upper-world) · yue 天堂 (paradise and upper-world) · ba күк (sky) · lad Gan Eden (paradise and upper-world) · fa سپهر (sky) · ln likoló (sky) · ka ზეცა (sky) · ro cer (sky) · sh nebesa (sky) · ga neamh (paradise and upper-world) · enm hevene (blissful place or experience) · ar جَنَّة f فِرْدَوْس (blissful place or experience) · tl langit (sky) · cic Aba' Yaakni' (paradise and upper-world) · zu izulu (sky) · nl firmament (sky) · csb niebò (paradise and upper-world) · sl nébes (sky) · el ουρανός (sky) · fr ciel (sky) · swb pev̄o (paradise and upper-world) · cu небо (sky) · nb sky (sky) · uz firdavs (paradise and upper-world) · ia celo (paradise and upper-world) · ga flaitheas (paradise and upper-world) · mn ᠳ᠋ᠢᠸᠠᠵᠠᠨ (paradise and upper-world) · af hemel (paradise and upper-world) · hsb njebjo (paradise and upper-world) · io cielo (sky) · yi שמים (paradise and upper-world) · hsb njebjo (sky) · dsb njebjo (paradise and upper-world) · gu જન્નત (paradise and upper-world) · hi स्वर्ग (blissful place or experience) · got 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃 (sky) · tr cennet (blissful place or experience) · nay Wyerriewarr (paradise and upper-world) · sl nebo (sky) · bn স্বর্গ (paradise and upper-world) · tk jennet (paradise and upper-world) · nb paradiser (paradise and upper-world) · am ገነት (paradise and upper-world) · izh raaju (paradise and upper-world) · sh nȅbo (sky) · fa مینو (paradise and upper-world) · bn আকাশ (sky) · abe spemki (paradise and upper-world) · el παράδεισος (paradise and upper-world) · ro rai (paradise and upper-world) · kk пейіш (paradise and upper-world) · yi שמים (sky) · el ουράνια (paradise and upper-world) · fi taivas (paradise and upper-world) · ca cel (sky) · zza sapar (sky) · mnc ᠠᠪᡴᠠ (paradise and upper-world) · cmn 天國 /天国 (paradise and upper-world) · nl hemel (sky) · pox nebü (paradise and upper-world) · ur آسمان (sky) · gd nèamh (paradise and upper-world) · ka სამოთხე (paradise and upper-world) · sv himmelrike (paradise and upper-world) · fi taivas (sky) · ttj iguru class 5 (sky) · sv paradis (paradise and upper-world) · ota فردوس (paradise and upper-world) · chc hímbare (paradise and upper-world) · mn диваажин (paradise and upper-world) · uz jannat (paradise and upper-world) · sl nebesa (paradise and upper-world) · ast cielu (sky) · vi thiên đàng (paradise and upper-world) · lt dangus (sky) · ota جنت (paradise and upper-world) · ps هسک (paradise and upper-world) · fa گرزمان (sky) · syc ܦܪܕܝܣܐ (paradise and upper-world) · pdt Himmel (paradise and upper-world) · tk uçma (paradise and upper-world) · nb himmel (sky) · fy himel (paradise and upper-world) · sh rȃj (paradise and upper-world) · bn জান্নাত (paradise and upper-world) · as স্বৰ্গ (paradise and upper-world) · fa آسمان (sky) · tt жәннәт (paradise and upper-world) · csb niebò (sky) · la caelum (sky) · syc ܫܡܝܐ (sky) · ja 天国 (paradise and upper-world) · pl niebo (sky) · ga flaithis (paradise and upper-world) · mr स्वर्ग (paradise and upper-world) · hi वैकुंठ (paradise and upper-world) · sco heiven (paradise and upper-world) · tl langit (paradise and upper-world) · ht syèl (paradise and upper-world) · kmr cenet (paradise and upper-world) · my လောကနိဗ္ဗာန် (paradise and upper-world) · alt теҥери (sky) · ms loka (paradise and upper-world) · as বেহেস্ত (paradise and upper-world) · sk nebo (sky) · otk 𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃 (sky) · nn himmel (sky) · alt учмак (paradise and upper-world) · lv debesis (sky) · ms kayangan (paradise and upper-world) · ur گگن (sky) · mn тэнгэр (sky) · cmn 天空 (sky) · nn paradis (paradise and upper-world) · it paradiso (paradise and upper-world) · ms jannah (paradise and upper-world) · ru не́бо (sky) · ps جنت (paradise and upper-world) · pov gloria (paradise and upper-world) · nds-de Heven (sky) · hy դրախտ (paradise and upper-world) · oj giizhigoon (sky) · grc οὐρανός (paradise and upper-world) · da himmel (blissful place or experience) · pl raj (paradise and upper-world) · am ሰማይ (sky) · izh taivas (sky) · rom rajo (paradise and upper-world) · da himmel (paradise and upper-world) · de Himmel (sky) · zza behestan (paradise and upper-world) · tr gökyüzü (sky) · nl hof van Eden (paradise and upper-world) · mnc ᠠᠪᡴᠠᡳ ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ (paradise and upper-world) · fi taivas (blissful place or experience) · yua ka'an (paradise and upper-world) · az cənnət (paradise and upper-world) · da himmel (sky) · th ฟ้า (sky) · de Himmel (paradise and upper-world) · ur بِہِشْت (paradise and upper-world) · acw جنة (paradise and upper-world) · cmn 樂園 /乐园 (paradise and upper-world) · nds-de Himmel (paradise and upper-world) · sa स्वर्ग (paradise and upper-world) · tum mlengalenga (sky) · ms adan (paradise and upper-world) · kmr ezman (sky) · enm hevene (sky) · fr cieux (paradise and upper-world) · id langit (sky) · hi देवलोक (paradise and upper-world) · gd speur (sky) · swg Hemmel (sky) · sv sky (sky) · nb paradis (paradise and upper-world) · ast paraísu (paradise and upper-world) · hi व्योम (sky) · et taevas (sky) · ia celo (sky) · ko 낙원 (paradise and upper-world) · ar فَلَك (sky) · ba ожмах (paradise and upper-world) · kk ұжмақ (paradise and upper-world) · lb Paradäis (paradise and upper-world) · ms syurga (paradise and upper-world) · mk небеса (sky) · ta சொர்க்கம் (paradise and upper-world) · ja 天堂 (paradise and upper-world) · ru рай (paradise and upper-world)
From a wide variety of Middle English forms including hevene, heven, hevin, and hewin (“heaven, sky”), from Old English heofon, heofone (“heaven, sky”), from Proto-West Germanic *hebn (“heaven, sky”), of uncertain origin.
Cognate with Scots heiven, hewin (“heaven, sky”), Middle Dutch heven (“sky, heaven”), Low German Heven (“heaven, sky”), and possibly the rare Icelandic and Old Norse hifinn (“heaven, sky”), which are all probably dissimilated forms of the Germanic root which appears in Old Norse himinn (“heaven, sky”), Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐍃 (himins, “heaven, sky”), Old Swedish himin, Old Danish himæn and probably also (in another variant form) Old Saxon himil, Old Dutch himil (modern Dutch hemel), and Old High German himil (German Himmel).
Accepting these as cognates, some scholars propose a further derivation from Proto-Germanic *himinaz (“cover, cloud cover, firmament, sky, heaven”).
Meanings
(obsolete) To transport to the abode of God, the gods, or the blessed.
He heauens himselfe on earth, & for a litle pelfe cousens himselfe of blisse. 1614, Thomas Adams, The divells banket described in sixe sermons, II 81:
(obsolete) To beatify, enchant, or please greatly.
They [Byron's Tales]...enraptured the public and heavened Murray. 1924 April 13, Observer, 12 4: