Paganism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪɡənɪzm̩/

Definitions

1. A system of non-monotheistic religious beliefs centered on nature worship, multiple deities, or pre-Christian spiritual traditions outside the Abrahamic faiths
2. Religious practices and worldviews that emphasize polytheism, veneration of natural forces, or revival of ancient non-Christian spiritual systems
3. A collection of spiritual beliefs that worship multiple gods or natural elements, often linked to ancient or indigenous traditions outside main monotheistic religions

Etymology: The word "paganism" carries a surprisingly down-to-earth origin: it comes from Latin "pāgānus," which meant "peasant" or "rustic," someone who lived out in the countryside rather than in a town. The Latin root "pagus" meant a rural district or village, and the adjective grew into a label for country folk, who were often the last to adopt newer ways. The religious sense emerged because of that rural association. As Christianity spread through the Roman world, it was most established in cities, while older traditions lingered in villages and farmland. Writers used "pāgānus" and its derivatives to dismiss those lingering practices, and the word gradually became a term for non-Christian belief, a usage that Latin "pāgānismus" ("heathenism") carried into the formation of the English noun. Its suffix "-ism" simply marks a system of belief, so the word is a straightforward compound of "pagan" and "-ism."

Synonyms: heathenism, polytheism, idolatry, animism, folk religion

Antonyms: monotheism, theism, Christianity, Judaism