From Middle English pagan (adjective and noun), from Latin pāgānus (“rural, rustic; civilian”), replaced Middle English payen from the same root.
The meaning “not Christian” arose in Vulgar Latin, probably from the 4th century, owing to the Roman countryside being largely non-Christian, or potentially from the “civilian” meaning—denoting those not in the “army of Christ”. As a self-designation of neopagans, attested since 1990.
Partly displaced native heathen, from Old English hǣþen.
Note the opposition: pagan, peasant (related via pāgus), rustic, savage (<< Latin silvāticus), villain (<< Latin vīllānus), boorish vs. urbane, civil, courteous (akin to court). Also note Ancient Greek ἄγροικος (ágroikos) vs. ἀστεῖος (asteîos).
Meanings
(not-comparable) Relating to, characteristic of religions that differ from main world religions.
The way Green practices witchcraft defies stereotypes of broomstick-wielding, cauldron-toting, pointy-hatted witches. He doesn’t belong to a coven. He’s not Wiccan or pagan, religions that are rooted in witchcraft. He has a few cats, though they’re better suited for snuggling than serving as helpful familiars. 2024 October 26, Scottie Andrew, “Witches walk among us — but they’re not like the fictional ones you grew up with”, in CNN, archived from the original on 06 Jul 2025:
Under Christianization, many converted societies transformed their pagan deities into saints.
Black metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that typically takes on anti-Christian, satanic and pagan themes. 2019 April 12, Paul P. Murphy, Samira Said, “Louisiana arson suspect expressed disgust with Baptist churches on Facebook”, in CNN, archived from the original on 02 Nov 2021:
ga págánach (relating to non-main world religions) · ro păgân (relating to non-main world religions) · ar وَثَنِيّ (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · sq besëlashtë (relating to non-main world religions) · fi pakanallinen (relating to non-main world religions) · pl pogański (relating to non-main world religions) · it pagano (relating to non-main world religions) · fur paian (relating to non-main world religions) · fi pakanallinen (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · cmn 異教的 /异教的 (relating to non-main world religions) · sh па̀га̄нски (relating to non-main world religions) · ca pagà (relating to non-main world religions) · fr incivilisé (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · fr païen (relating to non-main world religions) · ar وَثَنِيّ (relating to non-main world religions) · de heidnisch (relating to non-main world religions) · ba мәжүси (relating to non-main world religions) · nl heidens (relating to non-main world religions) · el ειδωλολατρικός (relating to non-main world religions) · hu istentelen (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · sk pohanský (relating to non-main world religions) · sv hednisk (relating to non-main world religions) · sh по̀гански (relating to non-main world religions) · he אֱלִילִי (relating to non-main world religions) · fa بت پرست (relating to non-main world religions) · nl onbeschaafd (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · ang hǣþen (relating to non-main world religions) · es pagano (relating to non-main world religions) · ga págánta (relating to non-main world religions) · sh pòganski (relating to non-main world religions) · be язы́чніцкі (relating to non-main world religions) · ky бутпарасчылык (relating to non-main world religions) · orv ꙗзꙑческъ (relating to non-main world religions) · hu pogány (relating to non-main world religions) · sw kafiri (relating to non-main world religions) · ka წარმართული (relating to non-main world religions) · ar وَحْشِيّ (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · tl di-binyagan (relating to non-main world religions) · fi pakana- (relating to non-main world religions) · sl poganski (relating to non-main world religions) · gd pàganach (relating to non-main world religions) · ru язы́ческий (relating to non-main world religions) · nl immoreel (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · cs pohanský (relating to non-main world religions) · ro păgân (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · uk язи́чницький (relating to non-main world religions) · da hedensk (relating to non-main world religions) · he פָּגָנִי (relating to non-main world religions) · tl pagano (relating to non-main world religions) · pt pagão (relating to non-main world religions) · ota زندیق (relating to non-main world religions) · sh pàgānski (relating to non-main world religions) · sw kafiri (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · ar جَاهِل (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · bg ези́чески (relating to non-main world religions) · hy հեթանոսական (relating to non-main world religions) · fi pakana- (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · bg дива́шки (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · cmn 野蛮的 (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · tr pagan (relating to non-main world religions) · vi ngoại đạo (relating to non-main world religions) · cy paganaidd (relating to non-main world religions) · ky бутчулук (relating to non-main world religions) · enm payen (relating to non-main world religions) · nb hedensk (relating to non-main world religions) · ky бутпарастык (relating to non-main world religions) · gl pagán (relating to non-main world religions) · fr immoral (immoral, uncivilized, savage) · tr kâfir (relating to non-main world religions)
From Middle English pagan (adjective and noun), from Latin pāgānus (“rural, rustic; civilian”), replaced Middle English payen from the same root.
The meaning “not Christian” arose in Vulgar Latin, probably from the 4th century, owing to the Roman countryside being largely non-Christian, or potentially from the “civilian” meaning—denoting those not in the “army of Christ”. As a self-designation of neopagans, attested since 1990.
Partly displaced native heathen, from Old English hǣþen.
Note the opposition: pagan, peasant (related via pāgus), rustic, savage (<< Latin silvāticus), villain (<< Latin vīllānus), boorish vs. urbane, civil, courteous (akin to court). Also note Ancient Greek ἄγροικος (ágroikos) vs. ἀστεῖος (asteîos).
Meanings
A person not adhering to a main world religion; a follower of a pantheistic or nature-worshipping religion.
This community has a surprising number of pagans.
(broadly, derogatory) An uncivilized or unsocialized person.
(broadly, derogatory) An unruly, badly educated child.
An outlaw biker who is a member of the Pagans MC.
(Multicultural-London-English, alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of paigon
ar مُشْرِك (person not adhering to a main world religion) · mk паганка (person not adhering to a main world religion) · oc pagan (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sk pohan (person not adhering to a main world religion) · be язы́чнік (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ga págánach (person not adhering to a main world religion) · cs pohanka (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ko 이교도 (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ca pagà (person not adhering to a main world religion) · uk язи́чник (person not adhering to a main world religion) · orv ꙗзꙑчьникъ (person not adhering to a main world religion) · hi बुतपरस्त (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sk pohanka (person not adhering to a main world religion) · et pagan (person not adhering to a main world religion) · pl poganka (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fi pakana (person not adhering to a main world religion) · kk пұтқа табынушы (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ug بۇتپەرەس (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fi kakara (unruly, badly educated child) · ru дика́рка (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · sh pògānka (person not adhering to a main world religion) · is heiðingi (person not adhering to a main world religion) · he עוֹבֵד אֱלִילִים (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nn heidning (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fa-ira بُتپَرَسْت (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fr païen (person not adhering to a main world religion) · es pagano (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ar وَثَنِيَّة (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ar وَثَنِيّ (person not adhering to a main world religion) · cy pagan (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fi sivistymätön ihminen (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · sh по̀га̄нка (person not adhering to a main world religion) · kk пұтпарас (person not adhering to a main world religion) · da hedning (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ky бутпарас (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ja 異教徒 (person not adhering to a main world religion) · tt мәҗүси (person not adhering to a main world religion) · lt pagonis (person not adhering to a main world religion) · az bütpərəst (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sl poganka (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nl heiden (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · hu pogány (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ga págán (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nl wilde(man) (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · bg ези́чничка (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sv hedning (person not adhering to a main world religion) · cy paganes (person not adhering to a main world religion) · uz majusiy (person not adhering to a main world religion) · el ειδωλολάτρισσα (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sh pàgān (person not adhering to a main world religion) · it pagana (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nl heidin (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nl barbaar (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · scn paganu (person not adhering to a main world religion) · prs بُتپَرَسْت (person not adhering to a main world religion) · es pagana (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ro păgân (person not adhering to a main world religion) · pt pagão (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ps بت پرست (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ur بُت پَرَسْت (person not adhering to a main world religion) · uz butparast (person not adhering to a main world religion) · za bouxukmbieng (person not adhering to a main world religion) · gd pàganach (person not adhering to a main world religion) · hu istentelen (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · ang hǣþen (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ru дика́рь (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · sw mpagani (person not adhering to a main world religion) · tr putperest (person not adhering to a main world religion) · bg ези́чница (person not adhering to a main world religion) · bg ези́чник (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nl heiden (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ru язы́чник (person not adhering to a main world religion) · de Ungläubiger (person not adhering to a main world religion) · cmn 異教徒 /异教徒 (person not adhering to a main world religion) · uk язи́чниця (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sq besëlashtë (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sh по̀ганин (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ru язы́чница (person not adhering to a main world religion) · enm payen (person not adhering to a main world religion) · be язы́чніца (person not adhering to a main world religion) · it pagano (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ky бутка табынуучу (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ast paganu (person not adhering to a main world religion) · hy հեթանոս (person not adhering to a main world religion) · pl poganin (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sl pogan (person not adhering to a main world religion) · bg дива́к (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · kmr pûtparez (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ba мәжүси (person not adhering to a main world religion) · lv pagāns (person not adhering to a main world religion) · de Heide (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ota زندیق (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fi pakana (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · sw kafiri (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ro păgână (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sw kafiri (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · tg бутпараст (person not adhering to a main world religion) · bg дива́чка (uncivilized or unsocialized person) · el ειδωλολάτρης (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fur paian (person not adhering to a main world religion) · tk butparaz (person not adhering to a main world religion) · mk паганин (person not adhering to a main world religion) · de Ungläubige (person not adhering to a main world religion) · pt pagã (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sh па̀га̄н (person not adhering to a main world religion) · nb hedning (person not adhering to a main world religion) · sh poganin (person not adhering to a main world religion) · de Heidin (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fr païenne (person not adhering to a main world religion) · fi kauhukakara (unruly, badly educated child) · kmr pûtperest (person not adhering to a main world religion) · cs pohan (person not adhering to a main world religion) · ka წარმართი (person not adhering to a main world religion)