druid
UK /ˈdɹuːɪd/ · US /ˈdɹu.ɪd/ noun
Forms druids
- noun (historical) One of an order of priests among certain groups of Celts before the adoption of Abrahamic religions.
- noun (fantasy, roleplaying games) A priest or mage who uses magic based on nature or trees.
- noun A member of a benefit society founded in 1781, the Ancient Order of Druids.
Etymology
Borrowed from French druide, from Old French, via Latin Druidae, from Gaulish *druwits, from Proto-Celtic *druwits (literally either “oak-knower” or “firm knower, great sage”), from either Proto-Indo-European *dóru (“tree”) or *drew- (“solid, firm, hard”) and *weyd- (“to see, to have knowledge”) (whence also English wizard; Proto-Slavic *vědьma (> Russian ве́дьма (védʹma))).
The earliest record of the term in Latin is by Julius Caesar in the first century B.C. in his De Bello Gallico. The native Celtic word for "druid" is first attested in Latin texts as druides (plural) and other texts also employ the form druidae (akin to the Greek form). Cognate with the later insular Celtic words, Old Irish druí (“druid, sorcerer”) and early Welsh dryw (“seer”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun One of an order of priests which in ancient times existed among certain branches of the Celtic race, especially among the Gauls and Britons.
- noun A member of a social and benevolent order, founded in London in 1781, and professedly based on the traditions of the ancient Druids.
Etymology [L. Druides; of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. & Gael. draoi, druidh, magician, Druid, W. derwydd Druid.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “druid”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details