Meaning & use
Samhain
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
An ancient Celtic festival held around 31 October to 1 November that marked the end of harvest and the start of winter.
Grammar: Used as a name; no article and no plural.
Patterns
- at Samhain
- during Samhain
- the festival of Samhain
Samhain was celebrated by the ancient Celts as the boundary between summer and winter.
Many modern pagans still observe Samhain with bonfires and feasts.
In Ireland, Samhain is seen as the origin of some Halloween traditions.
proper nounproper
A modern pagan and cultural festival, held around 31 October to 1 November, that marks the start of winter and honors ancestors.
Grammar: Used as a name; often appears with 'celebrate' or 'observe'.
Patterns
- celebrate Samhain
- observe Samhain
- Samhain ritual
She celebrates Samhain with a quiet ceremony at home.
The group holds a public Samhain ritual every year.
For many, Samhain is a time to remember those who have died.
Common combinations
- celebrate Samhain
- They celebrate Samhain with a bonfire on the hill.
- Samhain festival
- The Samhain festival attracts visitors from across the country.
- at Samhain
- At Samhain, the boundary between worlds was thought to be thin.
- the origins of Samhain
- Historians study the origins of Samhain and its connection to Halloween.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Halloween
- Halloween is the modern secular holiday on 31 October; Samhain is the older Celtic festival with religious and seasonal meaning.
Commonly confused: Samhain or Samhain?
Samhain vs Samhain
Sometimes misspelled as 'Samhain' or confused with 'Samhain' (the Scottish Gaelic form), but the spelling and pronunciation are distinct.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Samhain' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Samhain' is a proper noun for a festival around 31 October to 1 November, so it is used as a name and cannot be a verb or a food. Option 1 is wrong because it is in the wrong season; option 3 is wrong because it is not a food; option 4 is wrong because it is not a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Samhain”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.