celt
/sɛlt/ noun, adjective
Forms celts
- noun A prehistoric chisel-bladed tool.
- noun (historical) A member of one of the ancient peoples of Western Europe called Celtae by the Romans.
- noun A member of any of the (modern, Celtic) peoples who speak Celtic languages.
- adjective Synonym of Celtic.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Latin celtis (“chisel”), very probably a ghost word originating from a copyist's error in the Vulgate Bible, but taken as genuine and subsequently used in Medieval Latin.
From Latin Celtae (singular Celta) from Ancient Greek Κελτοί (Keltoí).
English Celts is from the 17th century. Until the mid 19th century, /sɛlt/ is the only recorded pronunciation. A consciously archaizing pronunciation /kɛlt/ was advocated during Irish and Welsh nationalism beginning in the 1850s.
Webster’s 1913
- noun One of an ancient race of people, who formerly inhabited a great part of Central and Western Europe, and whose descendants at the present day occupy Ireland, Wales, the Highlands of Scotland, and the northern shores of France. [Written also Kelt. The letter C was pronounced hard in Celtic languages.]
- noun A weapon or implement of stone or metal, found in the tumuli, or barrows, of the early Celtic nations.
Etymology [L. Celtae, Gr. Celtiad one that dwells in a covert, an inhabitant of the wood, a Celt, fr. celt covert, shelter, celu to hide.]
Etymology [LL. celts a chisel.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “celt”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details