English

Proper noun

Samhain

1. A holiday, falling on the night of 31 October to 1 November, celebrated by the ancient Celts and by modern neo-pagans as the beginning of winter and the new year, and a time during the spirits of the dead could return to the earth.

Synonyms

• Halloween

See also

• (Wiccan Sabbats) Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer, Lughnasadh, Mabon ^{(Category: en:Wicca)}

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish Samain ‎(“Halloween”), from Proto-Celtic *samonyos (compare Gaulish samoni-), either from Proto-Indo-European *sam ‎(“together”) (compare Old High German saman ‎(“together”), Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌰 ‎(samana, “together, in common”), Sanskrit समन ‎(samaná, “together”), सम् ‎(sám, “with”), Avestan [script needed] ‎(ha(m), “together”)), or alternatively from Proto-Celtic *samo- ‎(“summer”) (compare Old Irish sam ‎(“summer”), Welsh haf ‎(“summer”)).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /sˠaunʲ/, /sˠounʲ/
• (Connacht) IPA^(key): /sˠəunʲ/, /ˈsˠɑvˠən/
• (Ulster) IPA^(key): /ˈsˠauwənʲ/

Noun

Samhain f ‎(genitive singular Samhna, nominative plural Samhnacha)

1. November.
   • 21 January 1919, Constitution of Dáil Éireann, Fourth Article

     Beidh an tAireach freagarthach don Dáil san airgead a gheobhfar mar sin agus leagfaidh sé cúntaisí mionscrúduighthe ar chaitheamh an airgid fé bhrághaid na Dála dhá uair sa bhliadhain – um Shamhain is um Bealtaine.

     The Ministry shall be answerable to the Dáil for such moneys, and the accounts shall be audited with regard to the spending of money for the Dáil twice yearly – in November and May.

   • 18 September 2012, Foinse, Deir Mitt Romney go bhfuil vótálaithe Obama 'ag brath ar an rialtas' i bhfíseán a sceitheadh

     Is cosúil go bhfuil Romney ag labhairt le grúpa deontóirí saibhre níos luaithe i mbliana san fhíseán agus é ag labhairt go hoscailte faoina straitéis le díriú ar an bpíosa beag den daonra nach bhfuil cinneadh déanta acu go fóill i dtaobh toghchán na Samhna ...

     Romney appears to be talking to a group of rich donors earlier this year in the video, and he's talking openly about the strategy of targeting the small portion of the population who still haven't made a decision about November's election ...

2. Samhain (Celtic festival); (more generally) the first of November.
   • 1906, E. C. Quiggin, “Áindrías an Ime”, in A Dialect of Donegal: Being the Speech of Meenawannia in the Parish of Glenties, page 196:

     Seachtmhain roimhe Shamhain chuaidh an Seónstanach siar ⁊ seacht ngearráin ⁊ péire cliabh air ghach gearrán fá choinne a chuid ime.

     A week before Samhain, Johnstone went back with seven geldings and a pair of panniers on each gelding for his butter.

Declension

Mutation

See also

• (Gregorian calendar months) Eanáir, Feabhra, Márta, Aibreán, Bealtaine, Meitheamh, Iúil, Lúnasa, Meán Fómhair, Deireadh Fómhair, Samhain, Mí na Nollag ^{(Category: ga:Months)}

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

• Samhainn

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaũ.iɲ/

Proper noun

Samhain f ‎(genitive Samhna)

1. (with article: an t-Samhain) November
2. All Saints' Day
3. All Souls' Day

Derived terms

• Oidhche Shamhna
• Samh (abbreviation)
• samhnag ‎(“bonfire or torch used at Halloween”)
• samhnair ‎(“trick or treater”)

Mutation