The Only Use
heathen
in
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
(Auto-generated)
- He said it warn't no use talking, heathens don't amount to shucks alongside of pirates to work a camp-meeting with.†
Chpt 20heathens = people who are not civilized or not moral -- typically said humorously OR an offensive term for people who do not believe in a preferred religion
Definitions:
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(1)
(heathen) an often offensive (sometimes humorous) word for someone seen as uncivilized or immoral, especially because she does not share the speaker’s religion or comes from a culture unfamiliar with itThis word is usually judgmental or insulting, so today it is used mostly in joking contexts or when describing older attitudes.
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(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) More rarely, heathen can refer to a person who lacks culture or good taste.