Both Uses
heathen
in
Othello, the Moor of Venice
(Auto-generated)
- But he, sir, had the election: And I,—of whom his eyes had seen the proof At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds, Christian and heathen,—must be belee'd and calm'd By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster; He, in good time, must his lieutenant be, And I—God bless the mark!†
Scene 1.1 *heathen = someone who is not civilized or not moral OR an offensive term for a person who does not believe in a preferred religion
- Most heathenish and most gross!†
Scene 5.2
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.