in matters of religion, a Pagan, or worshipper of false gods.

The origin of this word is deduced from the Jews, who called all those who were not of their name gojim, i.e. gentes, which in the Greek translations of the Old Testament is rendered τα ἔθνη; in which sense it frequently occurs in the New Testament; as in Matt. vi. 32. "All these things the nations or Gentiles seek." Whence the Latin church also used gentes in the same sense as our Gentiles, especially in the New Testament. But the word gentes soon got another signification, and no longer meant all such as were not Jews; but those only who were neither Jews nor Christians, but followed the superstitions of the Greeks and Romans, &c. In this sense it continued among the Christian writers, till their manner of speech, together with their religion, was publicly and by authority received in the empire; when gentiles, from gentes, came into use: and then both words had two significations, viz. in treatises or laws concerning religion, they signified Pagans, neither Jews nor Christians; and in civil affairs, they were used for all such as were not Romans.

the Roman law and history, a name which sometimes expresses what the Romans otherwise called barbarians, whether they were allies of Rome or not: but this word was used in a more particular sense for all foreigners and foreigners not subject to the Roman empire.