Samhain

or Sa·main, sa·mh'in

[ sah-win ]

noun
  1. a festival of the ancient Celts, held around November 1 to celebrate the beginning of winter.

Origin of Samhain

1
1885–90; <Irish; Old Irish samain

Words Nearby Samhain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Samhain in a sentence

  • The Scotch invented the idea of a "Samhanach," a goblin who comes out just at "Samhain."

    The Book of Hallowe'en | Ruth Edna Kelley

British Dictionary definitions for Samhain

Samhain

/ (ˈsɑːwɪn, ˈsaʊeɪn, ˈsaʊɪn) /


noun
  1. an ancient Celtic festival held on Nov 1 to mark the beginning of winter and the beginning of a new year. It is also celebrated by modern pagans

Origin of Samhain

1
from Irish, from Old Irish samain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012