WikiWord

English

Beltane

name

Meaning

  1. The first day of May (since 1752); May Day, a Scottish quarter day, sometimes associated by Christians with the nearest Church Feast, the Invention of the Cross (3 May), and Whitsunday (15 May).
  2. An ancient Gaelic/Celtic May Day holiday celebration, at which large bonfires were built on the hilltops, revived by Celtic neopagans.

Etymology / origin

From the Celtic *belo-tanos (“bright fire”).

Sources

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