People who practice non-Abrahamic religions, especially those who worshiped nature gods or polytheistic deities in ancient and medieval Europe.
From Latin 'paganus,' originally meaning 'country dweller' or 'rustic.' Early Christian missionaries found pagan beliefs lingering longer in rural areas, so 'pagan' became a term for non-Christian believers.
The word 'pagan' literally meant 'country person,' because Christianity spread fastest in cities first—rural communities held onto their old gods longer, which is why 'pagan' became synonymous with ancient religions!
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