How to pronounce heathen
Say it like HEE-thun. Heathen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce heathen. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HEE
- thun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Heathen pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- thunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of heathen
American and British speakers say heathen in essentially the same way: /ˈhiðən/ in the US and /ˈhiːðən/ in the UK.
British respelling: HEE-thun.
What does heathen mean?
- A pagan; someone who is neither Christian, Jewish, nor Muslim (other Abrahamic or monotheistic religions may or may not be included)
- An uncultured or uncivilized person, philistine.
- Not adhering to an Abrahamic religion; pagan.
- Uncultured; uncivilized; savage; barbarian.
Where does heathen come from?
Cognate with West Frisian heiden, Dutch heiden, Middle High German heiden, German Heiden, German Heide, Swedish heden, Danish hedensk (from heden + -sk), Icelandic heiðinn.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying heathen
How do you pronounce heathen?
Say HEE-thun. The American pronunciation is /ˈhiðən/. In British English it is /ˈhiːðən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in heathen?
Heathen has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HEE). Broken into parts: HEE · thun.
Do Americans and Brits say heathen the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhiðən/ and the British form is /ˈhiːðən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.