paganism

From Latin pāgānismus (“heathenism”), from pāgānus (“peasant, rural, rustic”). The term was used pejoratively by early Muslims and Christians to belittle what remained of the native religions. Synchronically, pagan +‎ -ism.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpeɪɡənɪzm̩/

paganism (countable and uncountable, plural paganisms)

1. Any indigenous polytheistic religion.

   Most people in that region practise their own form of paganism.

2. Any 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.

• (religions) religion; Ahmadiyya,‎ Asatru,‎ Bahá'í Faith,‎ Buddhism,‎ Cao Dai,‎ Christianity,‎ deism,‎ Druidry,‎ Eckankar,‎ Flying Spaghetti Monsterism,‎ Heathenry,‎ Hinduism,‎ Islam,‎ Jainism,‎ Jediism,‎ Judaism,‎ Kimbanguism,‎ Odinism,‎ paganism,‎ Pastafarianism,‎ Raëlism,‎ Rastafarianism,‎ Shinto,‎ Sikhism,‎ Taoism,‎ Thelema,‎ Unitarian Universalism,‎ Wicca,‎ Yazidism,‎ Yoruba,‎ Zoroastrianism ^{(Category: en:Religion) [edit]}

• pagan
• neo-paganism

• Christianity
• heathen
• heathendom
• heathenism
• gentile