Beltane

Beltane

From Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day by Merriam-Webster

May 1, 2026 · 2 min

About this episode

This episode explores the significance and history of the Celtic festival Beltane, celebrated on May 1.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 1, 2026 is: Beltane • \BEL-tayn\  • noun Beltane refers to the Celtic May Day festival. // Beltane falls each year approximately halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. See the entry > Examples: “On May 1, we celebrate what began as the ancient Celtic holiday of Beltane . ... It started at sundown April 30, when, according to Celtic lore, the evil spirits that had wreaked havoc on humans since Halloween had a last fling before the dawning of May 1 cast them into their annual six-month exile. The night of April 30 is still celebrated, especially abroad, with bonfires and revelry.” — Deane Morrison, The Owatonna (Minnesota) People’s Press , 26 Mar. 2026 Did you know? To the ancient Celts , May Day marked the start of summer, and a critical time when the boundaries between the human and supernatural worlds were removed, requiring that people take special measures to protect themselves against enchantments. The Beltane fire festival originated in a summer ritual in which cattle were herded between two huge bonfires to protect them from evil and disease. The word Beltane has been used in English since the…

People in this episode

Host: Merriam-Webster

Topics covered

  • Celtic festivals
  • May Day
  • cultural traditions
  • supernatural beliefs
  • historical linguistics

Keywords

  • Beltane
  • Celtic festival
  • May Day
  • bonfires
  • supernatural
  • ancient traditions
  • summer solstice
  • historical linguistics

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Minnesota, Ireland

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