Paganism Defined | A Pagan Directory

Here is how Pagan Organizations define Pagan

Selena Fox: Pagan: pertains to a Nature religion or a practitioner of an ancient and/or contemporary Nature religion; also used to refer to a Nature Spirituality, Earth-centered Spirituality, and/or Goddess Spirituality group or practitioner.
Pagan Federation: Pagan: A follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshiping religion.
http://ecopagan.com: Paganism is a family of spiritual paths rooted in ancestral religions throughout the world and predating recorded history. Paganism includes polytheistic and pantheistic nature-worshiping religions, and often includes deities of all genders, ancestor veneration, and celebrations in tune with our Earth. A full discussion of the many varieties of Paganism is beyond the scope of this statement.
Church of all worlds: a broad spectrum of personal magicks and beliefs, what brings us together is a shared set of values: immanent divinity (expressed as “Thou art God/dess”); self-knowledge and personal responsibility; deep friendship and tribal intimacy; positive sexuality; living in harmony with the natural world; and appreciation of the diverse nature of human beings.
Covenant of the Goddess:
- Earth Religion: A religion whose main tenet is that the worshipper is in harmony with the Earth and with all life. Such religions oppose the idea that the world is a resource to be subdued and exploited.
- Pagan :A practitioner of an Earth Religion; from the Latin paganus, a country dweller.
- Neo-Paganism :A modern Earth Religion which borrows and adapts from the best of pre-Christian Pagan religions, sometimes with additions from contemporary religious thinkers.

If you are curious about how dictionaries define Pagan, here is a list.

Most of these definitions are far from the truth of what Pagan’s practice. These are the definitions that are seen when non-Pagans look up the word, and are part of the major misunderstanding of what Paganism really is.

Merriam-Webster:

Heathen; especially: a follower of a polytheistic religion
One who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person
Neo- pagan

Definition Pagan. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pagan

Merriam-Webster Student Dictionary:

HEATHEN
a person who is not religious

Word History: In ancient Rome a person living in a rural area or village was called paganus, a word derived from the Latin noun pagus, meaning “village, district.” In time paganus came to refer to a civilian as opposed to a soldier. When Christianity became generally accepted in the towns and cities of the empire, paganus was used to refer to a villager who continued to worship the old gods. Christians used the term for anyone not of their faith or of the Jewish faith. The word in Old English for such a person was what is now heathen. In the 14th century, English borrowed the Latin paganus as pagan, and used it with the same meaning. In time both heathen and pagan also took on the meaning of “a person having no religion.”

Definition of pagan – Merriam-Webster’s Student Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.wordcentral.com/cgi-bin/student?pagan

Urban Dictionary

A somewhat vague term derived from the Latin word paganus. Pagan is a term which refers to a variety of different religions ranging from Wicca, to that of ancient Egypt and even Hinduism, among many others. Some Pagans are of no specific religion, but rather are eclectic. In general Pagan religions have more than one deity, or many gods which are aspects of one (an idea similar to that of the Christian trinity). Another quite common feature of Pagan religions are that they tend to be nature oriented. Pagan can also be used as a derogatory word for any non-Judeo/Christian/Islamic religion.
Originally from the Latin word paganus which meant countryman. Today it mostly means someone who is part of a number of religions that comes under the umbrella term of paganism. Usually these religions are nature-based or revere nature or whose religion is tied to nature in some way. Pagans come from all walks of live be it politics, law enforcement, education or business etc.

Pagan. (2004, May 25). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pagan

Second Def: published 11, September, 2003

Dictionary.com

Noun

(no longer in technical use) one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks.
a member of a religious, spiritual, or cultural community based on the worship of nature or the earth; a neo-Pagan.
Disparaging and Offensive

(in historical contexts)

a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim; a heathen.
an irreligious or hedonistic person.
an uncivilized or unenlightened person.

The definition of pagan. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pagan

Your Dictionary

The definition of a pagan is a person who worships many gods or who worships nature and the Earth

Pagan dictionary definition | pagan defined. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/pagan

Webster’s New World

a person who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew; heathen: formerly, sometimes applied specif. to a non-Christian by Christians
a person who has no religion
a person who worships nature or the earth, specif., a neopagan

The American Heritage Dictionary

An adherent of a polytheistic religion in antiquity, especially when viewed in contrast to an adherent of a monotheistic religion.
A Neopagan.
One who has no religion.
An adherent of a religion other than Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.
A hedonist.

Wiktionary

Adjective

Relating to, characteristic of or adhering to non-Abrahamist religions, especially earlier polytheism.
(by extension) Savage, immoral, uncivilized, wild.

Noun

A person not adhering to any major or recognized religion, especially a heathen or non-Abrahamist, follower of a pantheistic or nature-worshipping religion, neopagan.
(by extension) An uncivilized or unsocialized person
Especially an unruly, badly educated child.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pagan

The Free Dictionary

An adherent of a polytheistic religion in antiquity, especially when viewed in contrast to an adherent of a monotheistic religion.
A Neopagan.
Offensive
- One who has no religion.
- An adherent of a religion other than Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.
A hedonist.

Pagan. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pagan

Oxford Dictionary

A person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.
dated, derogatory A non-Christian.
An adherent of neopaganism.

Pagan: Definition of pagan in Oxford dictionary (American English) (US). (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/pagan

Online Etymology Dictionary

late 14c., from Late Latin paganus “pagan,” in classical Latin “villager, rustic; civilian, non-combatant” noun use of adjective meaning “of the country, of a village,” from pagus “country people; province, rural district,” originally “district limited by markers,” thus related to pangere “to fix, fasten,” from PIE root *pag-“to fix” (see pact). As an adjective from early 15c.

Religious sense is often said to derive from conservative rural adherence to the old gods after the Christianization of Roman towns and cities; but the word in this sense predates that period in Church history, and it is more likely derived from the use of paganus in Roman military jargon for “civilian, incompetent soldier,” which Christians (Tertullian, c.202; Augustine) picked up with the military imagery of the early Church (such as milites “soldier of Christ,” etc.). Applied to modern pantheists and nature-worshippers from 1908.

Pagan and heathen are primarily the same in meaning; but pagan is sometimes distinctively applied to those nations that, although worshiping false gods, are more cultivated, as the Greeks and Romans, and heathen to uncivilized idolaters, as the tribes of Africa. A Mohammedan is not counted a pagan much less a heathen. [Century Dictionary, 1902]

The English surname Paine, Payne, etc., appears by old records to be from Latinpaganus, but whether in the sense “villager,” “rustic,” or “heathen” is disputed. It also was a common Christian name in 13c., “and was, no doubt, given without any thought of its meaning” [“Dictionary of English Surnames”].

Online Etymology Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=pagan

Cambridge Dictionary

Belonging to or used in a religion that worships many gods (American English)
belonging or relating to a religion that worships many gods, especially one that existedbefore the main world religions (British English)
relating to religious beliefs that do not belong to any of the main religions of the world: (British English)

Pagan Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/pagan?q=Pagan

One Look Dictionary Search

noun: a person who does not acknowledge your God
adjective: not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam
name: A surname (common: 1 in 10000 families; popularity rank in the U.S.: #1206)mon: 1 in 10000 families; popularity rank in the U.S.: #1206)

Definitions of Pagan – OneLook Dictionary Search. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.onelook.com/?w=Pagan

Longman Dictionary of contemporary English

Religion

Results for pagan – Longman English Dictionary Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.ldoceonline.com/search/?q=pagan

Word Reference

one of a people or community following a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Greeks.
one who is not a believer in one of the monotheistic religions.
one who is not religious, esp. a hedonist or sensualist.

adj.

of or relating to pagans or their religion:pagan rituals and sacrifices.
not religious.

Online Language Dictionaries. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.wordreference.com/definition/pagan

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