['hi:?(?)n]
¦ noun derogatory
1. a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially Christianity, Judaism, or Islam) as regarded by those who do.
2. informal a person lacking culture or moral principles.
¦ adjective relating to heathens.
Derivatives
heathendom noun
heathenish adjective
heathenism noun
Origin
OE
hthen, prob. from a Gmc adjective meaning 'inhabiting open country, savage', from the base of
heath.