Celtic

1 of 2

adjective

Celt·​ic ˈkel-tik How to pronounce Celtic (audio) ˈsel- How to pronounce Celtic (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Celts or their languages
Celtic music
Celtic folklore

Celtic

2 of 2

noun

: a group of Indo-European languages usually subdivided into Brythonic and Goidelic and now largely confined to Brittany, Wales, Ireland, and the Scottish Highlands see Indo-European Languages Table

Examples of Celtic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The main stage is the place to hear a variety of bands, including fiddle-forward Celtic American band Scythian, Scottish trad-folk-rock band Skerryvore and indie-folk group Carbon Leaf, while the smaller UA stage hosts traditional pipe bands, Irish dancers and other performers. Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 This annual celebration features all sorts of live entertainment from Celtic rock and bagpipes to Irish folk music and dancing, authentic Irish foods and beverages, an Irish marketplace with more than 250 vendors, a firefighters pancake breakfast, roaming leprechauns, carnival rides and a parade. Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 For example, broths and stews with meat and cabbage, which have been a staple in Europe’s Atlantic region for centuries, are Celtic in origin. Christian Mysliwiec, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 The belief in leprechauns stems from Celtic ideas of fairies, tiny men and women who could use their powers for good or evil, according to History.com. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 If a genre could somehow combine Celtic folk and Texas country, there might be a single word to describe the Saints’ sound. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024 The band is currently on the road with legendary Celtic punks Flogging Molly across the U.S. Dave Brooks, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024 Inductees into the Folk Radio Hall of Fame celebrated as part of the event included Folk Alley’s Linda Fahey, Jan Vanderhorst, Mountain Stage founder Larry Groce, New York City air personality Bob Sherman and Celtic music ambassador Brian O’Donovan. Chris Willman, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 But Olander says most historical linguists think Celtic languages are much more closely related to Italic languages. Kurt Kleiner, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Celtic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Celtic was circa 1530

Dictionary Entries Near Celtic

Cite this Entry

“Celtic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Celtic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Celtic

1 of 2 adjective
Celt·​ic ˈkel-tik How to pronounce Celtic (audio) ˈsel- How to pronounce Celtic (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Celts or their languages

Celtic

2 of 2 noun
: a group of languages including Gaelic and Welsh
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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