heathenise

A missionary fears the local customs will heathenise the new converts.

Definition

Verb (transitive or intransitive):
- To make or become heathen: "heathenise" means to convert or cause someone or something to adopt heathen beliefs, practices, or character; or to become heathen oneself.
- To render non-Christian or pagan: It implies a shift away from a dominant religious (often Christian) framework toward what is perceived as pagan or irreligious.

Usage Examples

Transitive:
- The missionaries feared that colonial contact would heathenise the local converts. (The missionaries worried that the converts would adopt pagan beliefs.)
Intransitive:
- Over centuries, the once-Christian region gradually heathenised. (The region slowly became non-Christian or pagan.)

Advanced Usage

"to heathenise a culture": to systematically replace religious or moral norms with those considered heathen.
- Some critics argued that the new laws would heathenise society by removing Christian moral foundations. (They claimed the laws would make society less Christian.)

Variants and Related Words

Heathen (noun/adjective): a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially Christianity, Judaism, or Islam); pagan.
- The ancient tribes were considered heathens by the early missionaries. (They were seen as non-Christian pagans.)
Heathenism (noun): the state or quality of being heathen; pagan beliefs or practices.
- The region reverted to heathenism after the empire's collapse. (It returned to pagan ways.)
Heathenish (adjective): resembling or characteristic of heathens; uncivilised or irreligious.
- Their heathenish rituals shocked the settlers. (Their pagan practices were shocking.)

Synonyms

Paganise: to make or become pagan.
- The festival was paganised by the addition of ancient rites. (It was made more pagan.)
De-Christianise: to remove Christian influence or character.
- The government sought to de-Christianise the education system. (It aimed to eliminate Christian elements.)

Phrasal Verbs

(None commonly associated with "heathenise"; the word itself functions as a standalone verb.)

Related Idioms