heathen

not civilized old missionaries who mistakenly thought that they were going off to China to tame the heathen hordes Synonyms barbarian, barbaric, barbarous, savage, heathenish, natural, Neanderthal (or Neandertal), rude, uncivil, uncivilized, uncultivated, wildRelated Words coarse, crude, primitive, rough; uncouth, unculturedNear Antonyms cultured, enlightened, humane, sophisticated; genteel, polished, polite, refined, urbane, well-bred; semicivilizedAntonyms civilized

1 a person who does not worship the God of the Bible a missionary sent to distant lands to convert the heathens Synonyms gentile, idolater (or idolator), pagan Related Words atheist, giaour, infidel, misbeliever, miscreant, nonbeliever, unbeliever; non-Christian, non-Jew, non-Muslim; neo-pagan, polytheist Near Antonyms Christian, Jew, Muslim

2 an uncivilized person European colonizers, who considered the New World peoples to be heathens, forced them to conform to European ways Synonyms barbarian, savage Related Words Neanderthal, primitive; noble savage