Druid

views updated Jun 11 2018

Dru·id / ˈdroōid/ • n. a priest, magician, or soothsayer in the ancient Celtic religion. ∎  a member of a present-day group claiming to represent or be derived from this religion.DERIVATIVES: Dru·id·ic / droōˈidik/ adj.Dru·id·i·cal / droōˈidikəl/ adj.Dru·id·ism / -ˌizəm/ n.

Druid

views updated May 21 2018

Druid a priest, magician, or soothsayer in the ancient Celtic religion; the word is first recorded from the mid 16th century in English sources, in Golding's translation of Caesar's Martiall Exploytes in Gallia (1565), and comes from Latin druidae, druides (plural), from Gaulish, related to Irish draoidh ‘magician’.

According to Pliny the elder, mistletoe was the sacred plant of the Druids, who cut it ritually with a golden sickle as part of their sacrificial ceremonies. The popular association of druids with oak groves derives largely from Pliny's account.

The use of Druid for a member of a group claiming to represent or be derived from this religion is recorded from the early 18th century.

Druid

views updated Jun 27 2018

Druid one of an order of priests in ancient Britain and Gaul. XVI. — F. druide or its source L. (pl.) druidæ, druides, Gr. druī́dai — Gaul. druides, of uncert. orig.
Hence druidic, druidical XVII.