What is the difference between a savage and a heathen?

Answer 1

A heathen is any one that does not subscribe to the Judaic version of god. If you are not a Jew, Muslim or Christian you are a heathen.

In an anthropological or scientific context, the term "savage" is controversial and usually considered obsolete. It can mean:

• Any person, group or behavior distinct from civilization
  • Barbarian, a usually-pejorative word for an uncivilized person
• Indigenous peoples, non-Western groups whose history predates contact with Western culture
• Primitive culture, a culture lacking modernity
• Hunter-gatherer, a member of a society whose food is mostly procured directly from undomesticated sources
• Band society, a comparatively simple form of human society
• Tribe, a type of social organization distinct from states (Source wikipedia)

Answer 2

A savage typically refers to someone considered uncivilized or primitive, often based on cultural or societal norms. A heathen, on the other hand, is typically used to describe someone who does not follow a monotheistic religion, especially in a derogatory or offensive context.