pagan
Loading your saved state.
pagan
Relating to the polytheistic religions and cultures of antiquity and the pre-Christian period, especially the Germanic, Celtic, Roman, or Greek ones. Followers of these religions are referred to as pagans.
Die Wintersonnenwende war ein wichtiges heidnisches Fest der Germanen.
The winter solstice was an important pagan festival of the Germanic peoples.
pagan / godless
In a broader sense, or from the perspective of monotheistic religions, describing a person or thing that is not religious or belongs to a non-monotheistic religion; godless.
Seine streng religiöse Tante empfand seine weltliche Lebensweise als zutiefst heidnisch.
His strictly religious aunt considered his secular lifestyle deeply pagan.
The adjective 'heidnisch' (pagan) is derived from the noun 'der Heide' (pagan; plural: die Heiden). A Heide is a person who belongs to a pagan religion.
Historiker erforschen die Lebensweise der alten Heiden.
Historians research the way of life of the ancient pagans.
In its historical meaning, 'heidnisch' (pagan) is often combined with terms such as 'heidnische Götter' (pagan gods), 'heidnische Rituale' (pagan rituals), 'heidnische Bräuche' (pagan customs), or 'heidnische Feste' (pagan festivals).
Viele unserer heutigen Weihnachtsbräuche haben heidnische Wurzeln.
Many of our present-day Christmas customs have pagan roots.
The historical meaning (m01) can be recognized through connections with ancient or pre-Christian topics. The figurative meaning (m02) often describes a modern, non-religious lifestyle from a critical, religious perspective and is less common.
Archäologen fanden eine alte heidnische Kultstätte.
Archaeologists found an old pagan cult site.
The use of 'heidnisch' (pagan) in the sense of 'ungläubig' (godless / unbelieving) or 'nicht-religiös' (non-religious) can today be perceived as outdated or derogatory. It is mostly used only in a very conservative or ironic context.
Er nannte unseren Konsum am Black Friday mit einem Augenzwinkern ein „heidnisches Ritual“.
With a wink, he called our Black Friday consumption a 'pagan ritual.'
