Fenian

adj, noun — 8 senses

Fenian

adj

UK /ˈfiː.ni.ən/ · US /ˈfi.ni.ən/

Etymology

Partly from both of the following: * from Old Irish Féni (“originally the legendary people who inhabited Ireland; later the Irish people generally, especially those belonging to the social class of free citizens”, plural); further etymology uncertain, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to bring; to transport”) (whence wagon and wain; referring to the use of chariots); and * from Irish fian, fiann (“roving band of (legendary) warrior-hunters”) (generally a view taken by English-speaking scholars, possibly due to the similarity between Old Irish Féni and Irish féine, féinne, the genitive singular forms of fian and fiann), from Old Irish fían, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- (“to chase, pursue”); + English -ian (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘from; related to’; and forming nouns with the sense ‘one from or related to’). The adjective is attested slightly earlier than the noun.

1

Ireland, Historical Of or relating to roving bands of hunter-warriors in ancient Ireland, especially the band led by the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill in Irish mythology; (generally) of or relating to the people of ancient Ireland.

2

Ireland, UK, Also, Historical Of or relating to organizations opposing British rule in Ireland, especially the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood which were active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

3

Northern Ireland, Scotland, Derogatory, Offensive Of or relating to a Roman Catholic, chiefly one of Irish descent or ethnicity.

4

Northern Ireland, Scotland, Derogatory, Offensive Of or relating to the Scottish association football club Celtic Football Club.

Derived terms
Fenian Cycle, Fenianism, Fenianist

Fenian

noun
Etymology

Partly from both of the following: * from Old Irish Féni (“originally the legendary people who inhabited Ireland; later the Irish people generally, especially those belonging to the social class of free citizens”, plural); further etymology uncertain, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to bring; to transport”) (whence wagon and wain; referring to the use of chariots); and * from Irish fian, fiann (“roving band of (legendary) warrior-hunters”) (generally a view taken by English-speaking scholars, possibly due to the similarity between Old Irish Féni and Irish féine, féinne, the genitive singular forms of fian and fiann), from Old Irish fían, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- (“to chase, pursue”); + English -ian (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘from; related to’; and forming nouns with the sense ‘one from or related to’). The adjective is attested slightly earlier than the noun.

1

Ireland, Historical, In plural A member of a roving band of hunter-warriors in ancient Ireland, especially the band led by the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill in Irish mythology; (generally) a person of ancient Ireland.

  • Do you compare your psalms / To the tales of the bare-arm'd Fenians?1816, [Walter Scott], chapter I, in The Antiquary. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 26:
2

Ireland, UK, Also, Historical A member of an organization opposing British rule in Ireland, especially the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood which were active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; (generally) an Irish nationalist or republican.

3

Northern Ireland, Scotland, Derogatory, Offensive A Roman Catholic person, chiefly one of Irish descent or ethnicity.

  • It was sound advice for anyone visiting Northern Ireland in 1999 and remains so today: do not refer to Protestants as "Prods", or to Catholics as "Fenians" or "Taigs", and whatever you do don't refer to your visit as "being out here".[2023 August 23, Rory Carroll, “Files reveal terms ministers were warned not to use in Northern Ireland”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 May 2025:
4

Northern Ireland, Scotland, Derogatory, Offensive A supporter of the Scottish association football club Celtic Football Club.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.