Meanings
nounpaganism (countable and uncountable, plural paganisms)
plural paganisms
- countableuncountableAny indigenous polytheistic religion.
Most people in that region practise their own form of paganism.
- countableuncountableAny of a class of religions often associated with nature rituals.
Various neopagan movements have arisen, each advancing its own form of paganism. Some are monotheist.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounany of various religions other than Christianity or Judaism or Islamism
Similar
pagan religionheathenism
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinpāgānismus“heathenism”
- Englishpaganism
From Latin pāgānismus (“heathenism”), from pāgānus (“peasant, rural, rustic”). The term was used pejoratively by local Orthodox Christian Demonyms to belittle what remained of alternative native ideas and ideals. By surface analysis, pagan + -ism.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek εἰδωλολατρία
- εἰδωλολατρία (eidōlolatría)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Arabic وَثَنِيَّة
- وَثَنِيَّة (waṯaniyya)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Bulgarian ези́чество
- ези́чество (ezíčestvo)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Catalan paganisme
- paganismelocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Chinese Cantonese 異教 /异教
- 異教 /异教 (ji⁶ gaau³)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Chinese Mandarin 異教 /异教
- 異教 /异教 (yìjiào)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Czech pohanství
- pohanstvílocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Danish hedenskab
- hedenskablocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Dutch heidendom, paganisme
- heidendomlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
- paganismelocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Esperanto paganismo
- paganismolocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Estonian paganlus
- paganluslocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Finnish pakanuus
- pakanuuslocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
French paganisme
- paganismelocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
German Heidentum, Paganismus
- Heidentumlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
- Paganismuslocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Greek ειδωλολατρία, παγανισμός
- ειδωλολατρία (eidololatría)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
- παγανισμός (paganismós)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Hebrew פָּגָנִיּוּת
- פָּגָנִיּוּת (pagániut)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Hungarian pogányság
- pogányságlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Icelandic heiðni
- heiðnilocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Irish págántacht
- págántachtlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Italian paganesimo
- paganesimolocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Japanese ペイガニズム, 異教
- ペイガニズム (peiganizumu)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
- 異教 (ikyō)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Korean 이교
- 이교 (igyo)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Latvian pagānisms
- pagānismslocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Lithuanian pagonybė
- pagonybėlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Polish pogaństwo
- pogaństwolocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Portuguese paganismo
- paganismolocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Romanian păgânism, păgânătate
- păgânismlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
- păgânătatelocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Russian язы́чество
- язы́чество (jazýčestvo)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Spanish paganismo
- paganismolocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Swedish hedendom
- hedendomlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Turkish paganlık, paganizm
- paganlıklocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
- paganizmlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Ukrainian язи́чництво
- язи́чництво (jazýčnyctvo)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Urdu پاگانیت
- پاگانیت (pāgāniyat)local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Welsh paganiaeth
- paganiaethlocal religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity
Cite this entry
APA
paganism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paganism
MLA
“paganism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paganism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “paganism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/paganism.
Source: paganism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.