heathern
A heathen, often a wild or poorly behaved kid.
Also called heathen.
Updated September 24, 2026
heathern pronunciation
/HEE-thurn/
Meaning
Same idea as heathen, just said the mountain way. Church talk can mean somebody outside the faith, but porch talk usually means a rowdy child tearing through the house. Half scold, half laugh. Mama calling you a heathern rarely meant she was done loving you.
How folks use it
- “Y'all quit running through the house like a bunch of heatherns.”
- “That boy's a heathern till you get some food in him.”
Origin and etymology
Dialect form of "heathen," the old English word for a nonbeliever or uncultured person. Appalachian and South Midland speech often turns an "-en" ending into "-ern," so heathen becomes heathern. DARE and mountain vocabulary notes keep it in that belt.
Frequently asked questions
Is heathern a different word from heathen?
Same word, different sound. The meaning rides along; the "r" is the mountain pronunciation.