The Only Use
heathen
in
Henry VIII
(Auto-generated)
- To-day the French, All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods, Shone down the English; and, to-morrow, they Made Britain India: every man that stood Show'd like a mine.†
Scene 1.1heathen = someone who is not civilized or not moral OR an offensive term for a person who does 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.