n. [ OE. heth waste land, the plant heath, AS. h&aemacr_;ð; akin to D. & G. heide, Icel. heiðr waste land, Dan. hede, Sw. hed, Goth. haiþi field, L. bucetum a cow pasture; cf. W. coed a wood, Skr. kshētra field. √20. ] 1. (Bot.) (a) A low shrub (Erica vulgaris or Calluna vulgaris), with minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of pink flowers. It is used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. It is also called heather, and ling. (b) Also, any species of the genus Erica, of which several are European, and many more are South African, some of great beauty. See Illust. of Heather. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their stately growth, though bare,
Stands on the blasted heath. Milton [ 1913 Webster ]

Heath cock (Zool.), the blackcock. See Heath grouse (below). --
Heath grass (Bot.), a kind of perennial grass, of the genus Triodia (Triodia decumbens), growing on dry heaths. --
Heath grouse, or
Heath game (Zool.), a European grouse (Tetrao tetrix), which inhabits heaths; -- called also black game, black grouse, heath poult, heath fowl, moor fowl. The male is called heath cock, and blackcock; the female, heath hen, and gray hen. --
Heath hen. (Zool.) See Heath grouse (above). --
Heath pea (Bot.), a species of bitter vetch (Lathyrus macrorhizus), the tubers of which are eaten, and in Scotland are used to flavor whisky. --
Heath throstle (Zool.), a European thrush which frequents heaths; the ring ouzel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Clad or crowned with heath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Heathens r collectively Heathen. [ OE. hethen, AS. h&aemacr_;ðen, prop. an adj. fr. h&aemacr_;ð heath, and orig., therefore, one who lives in the country or on the heaths and in the woods (cf. pagan, fr. pagus village); akin to OS. hēðin, adj., D. heiden a heathen, G. heide, OHG. heidan, Icel. heiðinn, adj., Sw. heden, Goth. haiþnō, n. fem. See Heath, and cf. Hoiden. ] 1. An individual of the pagan or unbelieving nations, or those which worship idols and do not acknowledge the true God; a pagan; an idolater. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An irreligious person. [ 1913 Webster ]

If it is no more than a moral discourse, he may preach it and they may hear it, and yet both continue unconverted heathens. V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heathen, as the term is used in the Scriptures, all people except the Jews; now used of all people except Christians, Jews, and Muslims. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. Ps. ii. 8.

Syn. -- Pagan; gentile. See Pagan. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Gentile; pagan; as, a heathen author. “The heathen philosopher.” “All in gold, like heathen gods.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Barbarous; unenlightened; heathenish. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Irreligious; scoffing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. h&aemacr_;ðendōm. ] 1. That part of the world where heathenism prevails; the heathen nations, considered collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Heathenism. C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. h&aemacr_;ðennes, i. e., heathenness. ] Heathendom. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. h&aemacr_;ðenisc. ] 1. Of or pertaining to the heathen; resembling or characteristic of heathens. “Worse than heathenish crimes.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Rude; uncivilized; savage; cruel. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Irreligious; as, a heathenish way of living. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a heathenish manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being heathenish. “The . . . heathenishness and profaneness of most playbooks.” Prynne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The religious system or rites of a heathen nation; idolatry; paganism. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The manners or morals usually prevalent in a heathen country; ignorance; rudeness; barbarism. [ 1913 Webster ]