pagan
n. countablen. a person who follows a religion that is not one of the main world religions, like Christianity or Islam. It often refers to people who worship nature or many different gods.
n. a follower of a polytheistic or nature-based religion, particularly one outside the Abrahamic traditions. Often used historically to describe those who practiced pre-Christian indigenous religions.
The ancient pagans celebrated the change of seasons.
Modern pagans often gather at stone circles to mark the summer solstice with traditional rituals.
The transition from pagan traditions to monotheism was a gradual process that saw many local customs integrated into the new religious framework.
From Middle English pagan (adjective and noun), from Latin pāgānus (“rural, rustic; civilian”), replaced Middle English payen from the same root. The meaning “not Christian” arose in Vulgar Latin, probably from the 4th century, owing to the Roman countryside being largely non-Christian, or potentially from the “civilian” meaning—denoting those not in the “army of Christ”. As a self-designation of neopagans, attested since 1990. Partly displaced native heathen, from Old English hǣþen.
Often used as a collective noun when referring to historical groups; can also function as an adjective to describe beliefs or rituals.