What does heathenizing mean?
Heathenizing is the act of converting a person or community to heathen or pagan belief, and it is also the present participle of heathenize or heathenise. The verb is uncommon in modern neutral English and occurs chiefly in historical, theological, missionary, or literary contexts. In its literal sense, it describes religious conversion away from Christianity; in extended use, it can characterize the erosion of Christian allegiance or the spread of competing religious influence. The expression carries a strongly polemical history, because “heathen” was long used by Christians as a disparaging label for people they considered outside Christian belief. Consequently, the word can sound hostile or archaic today, especially when used about living religious communities. In contemporary discussion, “paganizing” may be clearer, while more specific descriptions are preferable for historical or ethnographic contexts. Related forms include heathenism, heathendom, and heathenish. The word remains useful chiefly when discussing the charged history of missionary activity, empire, and religious identity.
verb (present participle/gerund)Heathenizing is the process of converting a person or community to heathen or pagan belief, especially from Christianity, or causing them to lapse from Christian allegiance.
- Converting a person or people to heathen or pagan belief.
- Causing a person or community to lapse from Christianity, especially through religious or cultural influence.
"The chronicler accused the invaders of heathenizing the conquered communities."
"The chronicler accused the invaders of heathenizing the conquered communities."
"Critics warned that secularization was heathenizing public life, though the charge was more rhetorical than descriptive."
Heathenizing preserves the charged legacy of a term once used by European Christians as a hostile label for those they considered outside their faith.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of heathenizing
Heathenizing is the present participle of heathenize, also spelled heathenise, a verb formed from heathen with the suffix -ize. Heathen comes from Old English hǣþene, originally denoting a person who had not been converted to Christianity, and has cognates in other Germanic languages, including Old Norse heiðinn and Dutch heiden. The -ize form developed to express the action of making someone heathen or causing someone to lapse from Christianity.
Related word forms
How heathenizing is actually used
This form is uncommon in modern neutral English and occurs chiefly in historical, theological, missionary, and literary contexts. Because “heathen” has a long history as a Christian disparagement of people regarded as outside the faith, the word can sound hostile or archaic. British English more commonly spells it “heathenising.”