[ 'peɪg(ə)n ]
■ noun a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.
■ adjective relating to ~s or their beliefs.
Derivatives
~ish adjective
~ism noun
~ize or ~ise verb
Word History
The word ~ is ultimately from the same root as peasant , and entered Middle English via Latin pagus 'country district'. Roman soldiers used ~us (originally 'rustic, country dweller') to mean 'civilian'; early Christians called themselves milites or 'soldiers' enlisted in the ‘army’ of Christ, and used ~us to mean 'heathen' (i.e. not part of that ‘army’). The word heathen probably developed in a similar way, coming from an adjective meaning 'inhabiting open country, savage'.