# Terms for "Pagans" #### *ethnikos* #### *gentile* - from latin ***gentilis*** "of or belonging to the same people or nation" from ***gēns*** "clan, tribe, people, family" #### *pagan* - from latin ***pāgānus*** "rural, rustic" #### *baghan/baghani* religion [بغان ی] - In Iran, the Old Persian (pre-Zoroastrian) word for "God, creator, the greatest" was ***bagh*** [ب غ] (sg.) ***baghan*** (pl.). It was also used in the sense of "Lord" to refer to gods like Mitra. Avestan ***baga*** and Vedic ***bhága*** "god, lord". PIE * ***bʰagás*** . The word is cognate with the Slavic ***bog*** [Бог] "God".