Fenian

[ fee-nee-uh n, feen-yuh n ]
/ ˈfi ni ən, ˈfin yən /

noun

a member of an Irish revolutionary organization founded in New York in 1858, which worked for the establishment of an independent Irish republic.
(in late Irish legends) a member of a group of warriors always ready to defend Ireland against its enemies.

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Origin of Fenian

1810–20; < Irish féinne (genitive of fiann band of Fenians) + -ian; influenced by Old Irish féne ancient inhabitant of Ireland

OTHER WORDS FROM Fenian

Fe·ni·an·ism, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for fenian

British Dictionary definitions for fenian

Fenian
/ (ˈfiːnɪən) /

noun

(formerly) a member of an Irish revolutionary organization founded in the US in the 19th century to fight for an independent Ireland
Irish myth one of the Fianna
derogatory, offensive an Irish Catholic or a person of Irish Catholic descent

adjective

of or relating to the Fenians

Derived forms of Fenian

Fenianism, noun

Word Origin for Fenian

C19: from Irish Gaelic fēinne, plural of fian band of warriors
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