Fenian

English

Etymology

Blend of Old Irish feinne or fianna, plural of fiann (soldier), the name of a legendary band of Irish warriors, and Fene or Féni, legendary settlers of Ireland. First attested from 1816.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: fē-nē-ən, fēn′yən, IPA(key): /ˈfiːniːən/, /ˈfiːnjən/

Noun

Fenian (plural Fenians)

  1. (Britain, Ireland) An Irish nationalist or republican.
  2. (historical) A member of the Fenian Brotherhood or the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Irish republican organizations active in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
  3. (derogatory, Scotland and Northern Ireland) A Catholic, especially one of Irish ethnicity or descent.
  4. (derogatory, Scotland and Northern Ireland) A supporter of Scottish association football club Celtic F.C.
Synonyms
  • (derogatory, Irish Catholic or supporter of Celtic F.C): taig, Tim

References

Anagrams

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