| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| Beltane |
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| SYLLABICATION: | Bel·tane |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  b l t n, -t n |
| NOUN: | 1. An ancient Celtic feast marked by the lighting of bonfires and the performance of various rites of purification. 2. The day on which this feast was held, usually May 1. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Scottish Gaelic bealltainn. See bhel-1 in Appendix I.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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