pagano
/paˈɡa.no/masculine
The Italian word for 'heathen' is pagano.
pagano is used to describe a person who does not follow an Abrahamic religion. As an adjective, it can also mean 'not adhering to an Abrahamic religion' or describe something as 'savage'.
Meaning: person who does not follow an Abrahamic religion (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form is pagana, the masculine plural form is pagani and the feminine plural form is pagane.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /paˈɡa.no/.
Did you know?
- The word pagano actually describes a person from the countryside rather than their religious beliefs. It stems from the Latin word pāgus, which means a rural district or a specific territory.
- In modern Italian, pagano can describe someone who lives a life of unrestrained pleasure or avoids social conventions, regardless of their actual faith.
- Because of its connection to 'the countryside', the word pagano shares a conceptual lineage with the Italian word paesaggio, which means 'landscape'.
Examples in context
- La tribù antica era nota per la loro religione pagana.The ancient tribe was known for their pagan religion.
- Non sposerebbe mai una persona infedele come lui.She would never marry an infidel like him.
- Il pagano non segue le leggi della chiesa.The heathen does not follow the laws of the church.
- Un antico pagano viveva in quel villaggio.An ancient heathen lived in that village.
- Quel pagano professa una fede diversa.That heathen professes a different faith.
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are discussing a historical character.
- GiuliaAlessandro, questo personaggio era un pagano?Alessandro, was this character a heathen?
- AlessandroSì, non seguiva nessuna religione abramitica.Yes, he didn't follow any Abrahamic religion.
- GiuliaÈ interessante come viveva un pagano allora.It is interesting how a heathen lived back then.
- AlessandroConcordo, la loro cultura era molto diversa.I agree, their culture was very different.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heathen” translations and entries pagano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pagano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
