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rowan
rowan [ON reynir]. The small deciduous tree (genus Sorbus aucuparia), also called the quicken tree or mountain ash, has rich associations in all modern Celtic literatures. Its distinctive clusters of white flowers and orange-red berries contribute to its reputation. In the ogham alphabet of early Ireland the letter L was signified by luis [rowan]. The druids of Ireland favoured rowan, hawthorn, and yew over the oak, favoured by the druids of Gaul. The semi-divine Tuatha Dé Danann were thought to have brought rowan to Ireland from Tír Tairngire [the Land of Promise]. In Tochmarc Étaíne [The Wooing of Étaín], the jealous Fuamnach transforms Étaín into a pool of water by striking her with a rod of rowan. Ailill mac Máta sends Fráech in search of rowan, just as Graínne demands that Diarmait get some for her. Often the rowanberry was thought to foster rejuvenation: a man 160 years old could be returned to his prime with the honey taste of rowanberries. The happy dead rest under woven roofs of quicken or rowan boughs. The salmon of knowledge [Ir. eó fis, eó fiosach] eats rowanberries. In all Celtic fairy lore, the rowan was thought to offer the best protection against fairy enchantments and witchcraft. In the Isle of Man twigs of rowan were made into crosses, crosh cuirn, and placed over doorways and hidden in the long tails of cattle to protect them from harm. On Man also rowan boughs were carried in Beltaine [May Day] ceremonies. OIr. luis; ModIr. caorthann; ScG caorunn; Manx keirn, kern; W cerddinen; Corn. kerdhynen; Bret. kerzhinenn. See also the FENIAN story; BRUIDHEAN CHAORTHAINN [The Hostel of the Quicken Tree]; ASH.
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JAMES MacKILLOP. "rowan." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES MacKILLOP. "rowan." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-rowan.html JAMES MacKILLOP. "rowan." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-rowan.html |
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Rowan
Rowan ♂, ♀ As a boy's name this is a transferred use of the surname, which is of Irish origin, being an Anglicized form of the Gaelic byname Ruadhán ‘little red one’. It was borne by a 6th-century saint who founded the monastery of Lothra, and is the name of the present Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams (b. 1950). As a girl's name it seems to be from the vocabulary word (of Scandinavian origin) denoting the tree, an attractive sight with its clusters of bright red berries.
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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Rowan." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Rowan." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Rowan.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Rowan." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Rowan.html |
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rowan
row·an / ˈrouən; ˈrōən/ (also row·an tree) • n. a mountain ash, in particular the European Sorbus aucuparia. ∎ (also row·an berry) the scarlet berry of this tree. |
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"rowan." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rowan." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rowan005.html "rowan." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rowan005.html |
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rowan
rowan this tree is traditionally a protection against witchcraft. The name (which is recorded from the late 15th century, originally Scots and northern English) is of Scandinavian origin.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "rowan." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "rowan." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-rowan.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "rowan." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-rowan.html |
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rowan
rowan Fruit of the rowan (mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia) can be used to make a bitter‐sweet jelly served with game.
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DAVID A. BENDER. "rowan." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAVID A. BENDER. "rowan." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-rowan.html DAVID A. BENDER. "rowan." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-rowan.html |
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rowan
rowan mountain ash. XVI (rountree). of Scand. orig.; cf. Norw. rogn, raun, Icel. reynir.
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T. F. HOAD. "rowan." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "rowan." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rowan.html T. F. HOAD. "rowan." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rowan.html |
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rowan
rowan See SORBUS.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "rowan." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "rowan." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-rowan.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "rowan." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-rowan.html |
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rowan
rowan •Brian, cyan, Gaian, Geminian, Hawaiian, ion, iron, Ixion, lion, Lyon, Mayan, Narayan, O'Brien, Orion, Paraguayan, prion, Ryan, scion, Uruguayan, Zion
•andiron
•gridiron, midiron
•dandelion • anion • Bruneian
•cation, flatiron
•gowan, Palawan, rowen
•anthozoan, bryozoan, Goan, hydrozoan, Minoan, protozoan, protozoon, rowan, Samoan, spermatozoon
•Ohioan • Chicagoan • Virgoan
•Idahoan
•doyen, Illinoisan, Iroquoian
•Ewan, Labuan, McEwan, McLuhan, Siouan
•Saskatchewan • Papuan • Paduan
•Nicaraguan • gargantuan
•carbon, chlorofluorocarbon, graben, hydrocarbon, Laban, radiocarbon
•ebon • Melbourne • Theban
•gibbon, ribbon
•Brisbane, Lisbon
•Tyburn
•auburn, Bourbon
•Alban • Manitoban • Cuban
•stubborn
•Durban, exurban, suburban, turban, urban
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"rowan." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rowan." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-rowan.html "rowan." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-rowan.html |
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