Vates

In modern English, the nouns vates (/ˈvtz/) and ovate (UK: /ˈɒvət, ˈvt/US: /ˈvt/), are used as technical terms for ancient Celtic bards, prophets and philosophers. The terms correspond to a Proto-Celtic word which can be reconstructed as *wātis.[1] They are sometimes also used as English equivalents to later Celtic terms such as Irish fáith "prophet, seer".

  1. ^ Bernhard Maier, Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture, trans. by Cyril Edwards (Woodbridge: Boydell, 1997), p. 278 [s.v. vates] [first published as Lexikon der keltischen Religion und Kultur (Stuttgart: Kröner, 1994).