infidel
n. countablen. a person who does not believe in a specific religion, especially one that is very important to the person speaking. It is often used in a rude or angry way to describe someone who is not part of a group.
n. a person who does not believe in a particular religion or who has abandoned a faith. Often carries a derogatory or pejorative tone, especially when used by members of a specific religious group to refer to outsiders.
The old man called the new neighbor an infidel for not going to church.
In some historical contexts, the term infidel was used to describe anyone who did not follow the dominant faith of the region.
The novel explores the tension between the protagonist and the local community, where the term infidel is used as a sharp reminder of his perceived lack of religious commitment.
First attested 1460, from Middle French infidèle, from Latin īnfidēlis (“unfaithful”), from in- (“not”) + fidēlis (“faithful”). See fidelity.