heathenize: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (C2/archaic)Formal, Literary, Archaic, Theological
Quick answer
What does “heathenize” mean?
to make someone or something heathen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to make someone or something heathen; to convert to heathenism or paganism.
To cause someone to abandon a major world religion (typically Christianity) and adopt a polytheistic, animistic, or non-Abrahamic belief system; to render something culturally or spiritually pagan in character.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes a 19th-century missionary or colonial perspective.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary use in both regions, found primarily in historical or religious texts.
Grammar
How to Use “heathenize” in a Sentence
[Subject] heathenized [Object]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “heathenize” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The chronicler accused the invading tribes of seeking to heathenize the Christian populace.
- Missionaries feared local customs would heathenize their converts.
American English
- Some 19th-century sermons warned that new philosophies would heathenize the nation.
- The historian wrote that the policy inadvertently heathenized the region.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- There is no standard adjective form derived from 'heathenize'. Use 'heathen' or 'paganized'.
American English
- The concept of a 'heathenized society' appears in old theological texts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used historically in religious studies, anthropology, or historical analysis, often within quotation marks to indicate the term's biased origin.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Not used in modern technical fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “heathenize”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “heathenize”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “heathenize”
- Using it as a synonym for 'secularize' (secularize is neutral, heathenize is negative and religious).
- Using it in a positive or neutral modern context about pagan revival movements.
- Confusing it with 'heathen' as a noun or adjective.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic. It is primarily encountered in historical, theological, or literary texts from the 18th and 19th centuries.
'Paganize' can be used in a more neutral, descriptive sense, especially in modern academic writing. 'Heathenize' is inherently more pejorative and rooted in a specifically Christian (often Protestant) viewpoint.
Almost never. Its historical usage is overwhelmingly negative, implying a loss of true faith and civilized values. A modern pagan might use it ironically or critically to describe past persecution.
The process or result is 'heathenization' (also very rare and archaic), as in 'the heathenization of the province'.
to make someone or something heathen.
Heathenize is usually formal, literary, archaic, theological in register.
Heathenize: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhiːðənaɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhiːðənaɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'HEATHEN' + 'IZE'. A heath is wild, uncultivated land. To 'heathen-ize' is to make someone spiritually wild or uncultivated (from a traditional Christian viewpoint).
Conceptual Metaphor
CIVILIZATION IS CHRISTIANITY / HEATHENISM IS WILDNESS. The word maps the spiritual/religious domain onto a metaphor of cultivation vs. wilderness.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the verb 'heathenize' most likely be found?