Def: Druid

Druid comes to English from Latin druides (pronounced /dru'i.des/), which is associated in folk etymology with drus meaning “oak tree” and -ides meaning “the son of”.

The word Druid denotes the priestly class in ancient Celtic societies, which existed through much of Western Europe north of the Alps and in the British Isles until they were displaced by the Romans and, later Christianity. Druidic practices were part of the culture of all Celtic and Gaulish tribes. Druids were priest, scholar and magistrate.

The ancient Druids were polytheists, but also revered solar and celestial patterns of the sun, moon, and stars and observed them for signs and cues to the changing of seasons. Streams, lakes hills and plants, especially oak, holly and mistletoe were held in sacred regard. Fire was associated with the sun and several deities and believed to have cleansing properties.

The four main Druid holidays are Imbolc which heralds the first signs of spring, Beltane for the surge of life after spring, Lughnasadh in celebration of the ripening of the first fruits and the deity Lugh, and Samhain to celebrate the end of harvest and the lowering of the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead.The timing for these four festivals was determined by the presence of a full moon roughly between each solstice and equinox.

In modern times, Imbolc has been transformed into Groundhog Day, bits of Beltane have been added into Easter, and Samhain has become Halloween (or All Hallows' Eve and All Saint's Day).