How to pronounce heathendom
Say it like HEE-thun-dum. Heathendom has three 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 heathendom. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HEE
- thun
- dum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Heathendom 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.
- dumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of heathendom
American and British speakers say heathendom in essentially the same way: /ˈhiðəndəm/ in the US and /ˈhiːðəndəm/ in the UK.
British respelling: HEE-thun-dum.
What does heathendom mean?
- The state of being heathen.“The priest argued to the king that unless clerics accompanied the colony ship, the colony would soon descend into heathendom and barbarity.”
- From one religion's or creed's perspective, the rest of the world that does not follow that creed or religion.“My aunt considered all of Europe to be heathendom, and refused to visit us in Amsterdam on religious grounds.”
- Specifically, the non-Christian world; territories where Christianity is not the dominant religion.“The Crusaders meant to wrest Jerusalem from heathendom, but they managed to pillage a number of lands in Christendom along the way.”
Where does heathendom come from?
From Middle English hæthendom, from Old English hǣþendōm; equivalent to heathen + -dom.
Questions about saying heathendom
How do you pronounce heathendom?
Say HEE-thun-dum. The American pronunciation is /ˈhiðəndəm/. In British English it is /ˈhiːðəndəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in heathendom?
Heathendom has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HEE). Broken into parts: HEE · thun · dum.
Do Americans and Brits say heathendom the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhiðəndəm/ and the British form is /ˈhiːðəndəm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.