Samhain

American  

[sah-win] / ˈsɑ wɪn /

Or Samain,

noun

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

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Samhain British  

/ ˈsaʊɪn, ˈsaʊeɪn, ˈsɑːwɪn /

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

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Usage

What is Samhain? Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) is an ancient Celtic harvest festival in celebration of the beginning of winter and a new year. (The Celts’ year was considered to start with the winter season on November 1.)Many of the traditions associated with Halloween are thought to have originated with Samhain, and the word Samhain is sometimes used synonymously with Halloween. However, Samhain is often considered a distinct holiday. It is sometimes celebrated as a religious observance in Pagan, Neopagan, and other traditions. Samhain is sometimes also spelled Samain or Samh’in.

Etymology

Origin of Samhain

1885–90; < Irish; Old Irish samain

Example Sentences

On Samhain, a festival celebrated by ancient people, the lines between the Otherworld of the dead and the realm of the living were weakened.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2024

Will Forte stars as the oddly cheery true-crime podcaster Gilbert Power in this dark dramedy, set in a small Irish town named Bodkin, where decades ago multiple young people disappeared during a Samhain festival.

From New York Times • May 1, 2024

For Christians, the festival marks the eve of the All Saint's Day feast but it has older, pagan roots, in the Gaelic festival Samhain.

From BBC • Oct. 27, 2023

People were keen to please the fairies, known in Gaelic as the aos sí, who were believed to be particularly mischievous around Beltane and Samhain.

From Salon • May 2, 2022

New fire was brought into each house at Samhain from the sacred bonfire,893 itself probably kindled from the need-fire by the friction of pieces of wood.

From The Religion of the Ancient Celts by MacCulloch, J. A.