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tanist
[ tan-ist, thaw-nist ]
/ ˈtæn ɪst, ˈθɔ nɪst /
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noun History/Historical.
the successor apparent to a Celtic chief, usually the oldest or worthiest of his kin, chosen by election among the tribe during the chief's lifetime.
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Origin of tanist
First recorded in 1530–40, tanist is from the Irish word tánaiste second, substitute, heir by election
Words nearby tanist
Tanguy, tangy, tanh, Tanimbar Islands, Tanis, tanist, tanistry, taniwha, Tanizaki, Tanizaki Jun-ichiro, Tanjore
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use tanist in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for tanist
tanist
/ (ˈtænɪst) /
noun
history the heir apparent of a Celtic chieftain chosen by election during the chief's lifetime: usually the worthiest of his kin
Derived forms of tanist
tanistry, nounWord Origin for tanist
C16: from Irish Gaelic tánaiste, literally: the second person
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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