beltane

A family celebrates Beltane by dancing around a maypole in a sunlit meadow.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A Celtic festival: "Beltane" refers to an ancient Celtic festival traditionally celebrated on May 1st, marking the beginning of summer. It involves bonfires, rituals, and celebrations to honour the sun and fertility.
   • A historical observance: In a historical context, "Beltane" denotes the May Day festival observed in Gaelic cultures, often associated with the lighting of fires and the protection of livestock.

Usage Examples

• (A Celtic festival on May 1st.)
• (A historical ritual in Gaelic tradition.)

Advanced Usage

• "Beltane fires": Ritual bonfires lit during the festival, believed to have protective and purifying powers.

  • The Beltane fires were lit on hilltops to ward off evil spirits. (Bonfires used in the festival.)

• "Beltane celebrations": Modern revivals or reenactments of the ancient festival, often including music, dance, and symbolic acts.

  • Neo-pagan groups hold Beltane celebrations in parks each spring. (Contemporary observances of the festival.)

Variants and Related Words

• Beltane (also spelled Bealtaine): The Irish and Scottish Gaelic name for the festival, sometimes used interchangeably with "May Day."
  • In Irish, Bealtaine is the name for the month of May. (The Gaelic term for the festival and month.)

Synonyms

• May Day: A spring festival observed on May 1st, often associated with Beltane in some traditions.
• Samhain: Another Celtic festival (on November 1st) marking the end of summer, opposite to Beltane in the seasonal cycle.

Related Idioms

• "Bring in the Beltane": To welcome or celebrate the arrival of summer.

  • They brought in the Beltane with a grand feast and dancing. (They welcomed summer with festivity.)

• "Beltane bonfire": A symbolic fire lit during the festival, representing purification and renewal.

  • The Beltane bonfire was a central part of the ancient ritual. (The festival's ceremonial fire.)