paganism
[
pey
-g
uh
-niz-
uh
m]
/ˈpeɪ gəˌnɪz əm/
noun
1.
pagan
spirit or attitude in religious or moral questions.
2.
the beliefs or practices of
pagans
.
3.
the state of being a
pagan
.
Origin
1400-50;
late Middle English
pāgānysme
<
Late Latin
pāgānismus,
equivalent to
Latin
pāgān(us)
pagan
+
-ismus
-ism
Related forms
paganist,
adjective,
noun
paganistic,
adjective
Word Origin and History for
paganism
n.
early 15c., from Church Latin
paganismus
, from
paganus
(see
pagan
).