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Beltanen.  Brit.  /ˈbɛlteɪn/, /ˈbɛlt(ᵻ)n/, U.S. /ˈbɛlˌteɪn/, /ˈbɛltn/, Scottish English /ˈbɛltn/, /ˈbɛltɪn/, /ˈbɛlten/, Irish English /ˈbælθənə/Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from Scottish Gaelic. Partly a borrowing from Irish. Etymons: Scottish Gaelic Bealltainn; Irish Bealtaine. Etymology: < Scottish Gaelic Bealltainn and (in later use also) Irish Bealtaine (Early Irish belltaine , beltaine beginning of summer, the first of May, the month of May; of uncertain origin: see note); compare Manx Boaltinn , Boaldyn . With Beltane day at sense 1 compare Scottish Gaelic Là Bealtainn and Irish Lá Bealtaine.The Early Irish word was apparently no longer etymologically transparent by the time of its first surviving attestations. It has traditionally been taken to be a compound. If so, the first element may be related to Gaulish Bel- (in Belenos , the name of a god). Associations with the name of Baal, an ancient Near Eastern god mentioned in the Old Testament (compare Baal n.), are due to later folk etymology. From an early date, the second element has been associated with Early Irish teine fire (cognate with Welsh tan ; < a derivative of the Indo-European base of classical Latin tepere to be warm: see tepid adj.), although this poses formal problems, and the association may be no more than folk-etymological. An alternative suggestion takes Early Irish beltaine to be a simplex reflecting a verbal noun base corresponding to *bail , the unprefixed form of the verb seen in Early Irish at-bail dies (see quele v.; compare the corresponding verbal noun epeltu the act of dying, death (genitive epeltin )). Variant forms. Irish English forms beginning with beal- are influenced by Irish orthography; in these forms frequently in literary or antiquarian contexts (compare sense 3). The γ. forms reflect the trisyllabic pronunciation of the Irish word. With this form (recorded in Donegal) perhaps compare Beltany , the name of two townlands in Co. Tyrone and one in Co. Donegal (at least two of these are now called An Bhealtaine in Irish), although the current form of these names (in both languages) may be due to folk etymology. The form Beltane was apparently popularized by J. Frazer Golden Bough II. (1890) 254–5. Related word. An isolated earlier borrowing of the Early Irish word into early Middle English may be implied in the compound Beltancou , Beltankou , denoting a kind of cattle rent in part of Lancashire (see discussion at Beltane-cow n.). the world > time > period > year > [noun] > specific days of the year 1424 (1597) §19 And the nest be funden in the Trees at Beltane the trees sall be foirfaulted to the King. 1484 in T. Thomson (1839) 134/2 Vmfra sall deliuer & pay to the said Johne ix tidy ky..at beltan nixt tocum. c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece xvii. ii. f. 245/1 On beltane day in the ȝeir nixt followyng callit the Inuentioun of the haly croce. a1586 Peblis to Play in W. A. Craigie (1919) I. 176 At beltane quhen ilk bodie bownis To peblis to the play. 1615 in J. R. N. Macphail (1920) III. 195 Aucht dayis befoir beltane last. 1685 G. Sinclair xvii. 127 It is likewise a sort of Charm, which many Witches have prescrived namely to cut the Rouan-Tree between the two Beltan days. 1716 M. Martin (ed. 2) 240 In the Highlands, the first day of May is still called La Baaltine—corruptly Beltan-day. a1733 Shetland Acts in (1892) 26 App. 6 That none fish with haddock lines within voes, from Belton to Martinmas, or so long as they can draw haddocks on hand lines. a1859 W. Watt (1860) 107 Then haste thee round, blithsome beltan, For thou art my bridal day! 1862 A. Hislop 8 A gowk at Yule'll no be bright at Beltane. 1927 J. Buchan vi. 110 There's anither Beltane on the aught day of May, and till that's by we maun walk eidently. 1970 E. J. Marsh I. ii. 39 The ‘haaf’, or deep-sea fishing, generally began about ‘Beltane’ Day, 1 May. 1980 A. Blair 8 Leave it be till next Beltane's by. 2000 S. Blackhall 9 Mem'ries..O April sunlicht drappin gowd on Cluny's scentit trees; Blindrift's doonfa, saft Beltane's thaw, ower Tullich's rigs o green. the world > time > period > year > [noun] > specific days of the year 1456 Extracts Rec. in W. Chambers (1872) 113 Thom Fyldar..sal pay for his fredome x s. at thwa termis, that is to say Beltain the ta half and Bartylmes the tothir half. 1464 Extracts Rec. in W. Chambers (1872) 153 John Thomsoun..sal pay for his fredom x s. at Beltan or a rud of causay. 1541 in R. Pitcairn (1833) I. 257 Payand ȝerlie thre thovsand merkis, at Beltane and Lammes, be equal portionis. 1582 in J. D. Marwick (1870) I. 160 Att four termes in the ȝeir, viz. Alhalowmes, Candilmes, Beltan, and Lambmes. 1649 in J. S. Dobie (1891) II. 83 To be payit..at Candilmes, Beltan, Lambmes, and Allhallowday proportionalie. 1876 J. Grant ii. xiii. 469 The old quarterly terms for paying the School fees were Lammas, Hallowmas, Candlemas and Beltane. 2012 I. Crofton 381/1 In Scotland they [sc. the quarter days] were..Whitsunday (fixed by statute on 15 May for this purpose; sometimes Beltane was substituted, often on 1 or 3 May), [etc.]. society > leisure > social event > festive occasion > specific festivities > [noun] > festivities associated with May-day 1771 T. Pennant 90 On the 1st of May, the herdsmen of every village hold their Bel-tein, a rural sacrifice. 1774 T. Pennant 48 The superstition of the Bel-tein was kept up. 1793 J. Sinclair V. 84 [Logierait, Perthsh.] On the first of May, Old Style, a festival called Beltan is annually held here. 1807 Ld. Byron 61 For him thy Beltane yet may burn. 1866 4 346 The most distinctive relics of sun worship are..seen in Beltane. 1928 14 550 May Day..had its origin in the Celtic holiday called ‘Beltane’. 1992 18 22 Other ritual acts, e.g. people jumping through the fire..were associated with Beltane. 2002 N. Drury 30/1 Wiccans often celebrate Beltane by dancing the maypole and celebrating the love between men and women. Compoundssociety > leisure > social event > festive occasion > specific festivities > [noun] > festivities associated with May-day > fire 1457 in J. Stuart & G. Burnett (1883) VI. 372 Pro expensis domini cancellarii ibidem [sc. Newuarche] existentis in curia que vocatur Beltanecourt. 1542 in J. B. Paul (1908) VIII. 91 Remanyng upone the clipping of the scheip, and making of the beltane compts thairof. 1656 in W. Chambers (1909) II. 34 The said fair called Beltane fair-day shalbe kept..this year upon the first Weddensday of Maii. 1801 W. Scott Glenfinlas in M. G. Lewis I. 123 How blazed Lord Ronald's beltane tree. 1810 W. Scott ii. 64 When at Beltane game Thou ledst the dance with Malcolm Græme. 1832 W. Motherwell 36 The fire that's blawn on Beltane e'en May weel be black gin Yule. 1883 Feb. 331 The time when the Beltane fires were lit near this well on Midsummer-eve. 1982 M. Z. Bradley ii. vi. 285 It would be amusing to see some of these stiff-necked Companions of Arthur lose their proper manners around a Beltane fire! 1995 J. I. Robertson xvi. 105 After the peats had been cut and stacked to dry until autumn..came the Beltane celebrations on the first of May. 2002 S. Blackhall 31 O Snake,..The Beltane dyew in yer forkit mou. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2017; most recently modified version published online June 2022). <  n.1424 |