Heathenous

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing attributes linked to groups or practices viewed as outside conventional religious beliefs or cultural norms Pertaining to actions and ideologies that reject widely accepted ethical standards under major faiths Relating to individuals or societies considered irreverent or lacking established spiritual guidance
2. Connected to religions or customs not recognized by mainstream faiths ; shockingly immoral or cruel behavior that offends basic moral principles
3. Associated with people who hold beliefs outside of accepted religious traditions ; profoundly bad actions marked by wrongdoing or depravity

Etymology: "Heathenous" is a rare alteration of the older adjective "heathenish," itself built from "heathen" and an English adjective ending. "Heathen" comes from Old English "hæðen," meaning a person who did not follow the Abrahamic faiths, and the "-ish" ending turned it into a description of something characteristic of such people. The form "heathenous" then swapped that ending for "-ous," the suffix found in words like "hideous" and "gracious," so the word reads as "full of heathenness." The sense has drifted over time. The word began as a plain label for non-Christian or non-Jewish belief and practice, and it was often used as a term of religious disapproval. Alongside that sense it came to carry a moral charge, describing conduct so cruel or shameless that it seemed to belong to a people outside civilized decency. Both senses still sit side by side in the dictionary entry, so a single word can describe a faith or an act of cruelty.

Synonyms: pagan, idolatrous, unbelieving

Antonyms: faithful, devout