druid English · revision 1122

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdɹuːɪd/ ''(UK)''; /ˈdɹu.ɪd/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes, partly through [[frm|druide]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from [[la|druides]], ''druidae'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from Gaulish ''druides'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) of Celtic origin.^(AHD)^(Etymonline) Etymonline reconstructs a Celtic compound ''*dru-wid-'' “strong seer”, from ''*derwos'' “true”, from a root meaning “tree, oak”, and ''*wid-'' “to know”,^(Etymonline) so perhaps literally “they who know the oak”.^(Etymonline) It is related to Old Irish ''druí'' “wizard”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A member of an order of priests among the ancient Celts of Gaul and Britain (1509 as a translation of Latin ''Druidae''; 1563 as ''Druid'').^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Welsh and Irish legend the druids appear as prophets, magicians and wizards.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) In modern use the word was applied to a philosophic bard or poet (1710),^(OED 1989) to officers of the Welsh Gorsedd,^(OED 1989) and to members of the United Ancient Order of Druids, a benefit society founded in London in 1781.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Old English had ''dry'' “magician”, probably from Old Irish.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1509 – ''Druydan'', in a translation.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1563 – ''Druid''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1710 – a philosophic bard.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1781 – the United Ancient Order of Druids founded.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A member of an order of [[priest|alt=priests]] among the ancient [[Celt|alt=Celts]] of Gaul, Britain and Ireland, who appear in Welsh and Irish legend as prophets and sorcerers.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A member of a modern society or movement that claims descent from the ancient druids.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[druidic]]

+ * [[druidically]]

+ * [[druidism]]

+ * [[druidess]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tree]]

+ * [[true]]

+ * [[wit]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Wiktionary and Merriam-Webster note that the word is often capitalized.^(Wiktionary)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}