Adjacent Words

Gentile definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GEN'TILE, n. [L. gentilis; from L. gens, nation, race; applied to pagans.]
In the scriptures, a pagan; a worshipper of false gods; any person not a Jew or a christian; a heathen. The Hebrews included in the term goim or nations, all the tribes of men who had not received the true faith,and were not circumcised. The christians translated goim by the L. gentes, and imitated the Jews in giving the name gentiles to all nations who were not Jews nor christians. In civil affairs, the denomination was given to all nations who were not Romans.
GEN'TILE, a. Pertaining to pagans or heathens.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: belonging to or characteristic of non-Jewish peoples n
1: a person who does not acknowledge your god [syn: heathen, pagan, gentile, infidel]
2: a person who is not a member of one's own religion; used in this sense by Mormons and Hindus
3: a Christian as contrasted with a Jew [syn: gentile, non- Jew, goy]
4: a Christian; "Christians refer to themselves as gentiles"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin gentilis, from Latin gent-, gens nation Date: 14th century 1. often capitalized a person of a non-Jewish nation or of non-Jewish faith; especially a Christian as distinguished from a Jew 2. heathen, pagan 3. often capitalized a non-Mormon II. adjective Date: 15th century 1. often capitalized a. of or relating to the nations at large as distinguished from the Jews; also of or relating to Christians as distinguished from the Jews b. of or relating to non-Mormons 2. heathen, pagan 3. [Latin gentilis] relating to a tribe or clan

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 (Gentile) not Jewish; heathen. 2 of or relating to a nation or tribe. 3 Gram. (of a word) indicating nationality. --n. 1 (Gentile) a person who is not Jewish. 2 Gram. a word indicating nationality. Etymology: ME f. L gentilis f. gens gentis family: see GENS

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gentile Gen"tile, n. [L. gentilis belonging to the same clan, stock, race, people, or nation; in opposition to Roman, a foreigner; in opposition to Jew or Christian, a heathen: cf. F. gentil. See Gentle, a.] One of a non-Jewish nation; one neither a Jew nor a Christian; a worshiper of false gods; a heathen. Note: The Hebrews included in the term g[=o]yim, or nations, all the tribes of men who had not received the true faith, and were not circumcised. The Christians translated g[=o]yim by the L. gentes, and imitated the Jews in giving the name gentiles to all nations who were neither Jews nor Christians. In civil affairs, the denomination was given to all nations who were not Romans. Syn: Pagan; heathen. See Pagan.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gentile Gen"tile, a. 1. Belonging to the nations at large, as distinguished from the Jews; ethnic; of pagan or heathen people. 2. (Gram.) Denoting a race or country; as, a gentile noun or adjective.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

also gentile(Gentiles) A Gentile is a person who is not Jewish. N-COUNT • Gentile is also an adjective. ...a flood of Jewish and Gentile German refugees. ADJ: usu ADJ n

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see Gentile

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Pagan, heathen, worshipper of false gods.

Moby Thesaurus

atheist, atheistic, clannish, disbeliever, ethnic, family, genetic, gentilic, giaour, goy, goyish, heathen, infidel, infidelic, kaffir, lineal, minimifidian, misbelieving, national, non-Christian, non-Jew, non-Jewish, non-Mohammedan, non-Mormon, non-Moslem, non-Muhammadan, non-Muslim, nonbeliever, nullifidian, pagan, phyletic, phylogenetic, profane, racial, secularist, shegets, shiksa, totemic, tribal, unbeliever, unbelieving, unchristian, uncircumcised, zendician, zendik, zendikite