“Priestess”

[Séril Báicéir]

An bhfuil a fhios ag aon duine “priestess” as Gaeilge? I know it probably isn’t “ban”+”sagart” in this case, but I can’t find it in any of the online dictionaries or in my pocket dictionary.

Go raibh maith agaibh!
Séril

[Wee_Falorie_Man]

bansagart = priestess

It’s in Ó Dónaill’s Dictionary.

[Onuvanja]

I think “bansagart” is correct in itself… Depends on what you have in mind with “priestess”. If you want to refer to a “female priest”, as a female counterpart of the modern-day “priest”, then “bansagart” seems quite appropriate. However, if you’re talking about “olden times”, perhaps “bandraoi” (“female druid”) would be better? The focal.ie web site also mentions “banfháidh” as an equivalent of “female seer/wise woman”.

[Wee_Falorie_Man]

Yeah, bandraoi is perfect if you are referring to a druidic preistess. :coolsmile:

[Séril Báicéir]

Go raibh maith agat, a WFM. I think I’m more referring to the older term. I’m not necessarily meaning a priestess from mythology or ancient history, but it fits much better than just the female counterpart to a modern priest. I will use “bandraoi”.

[Ua_Buadhaigh]

Just ruined my eyes trying to see what the historical dictionary has to offer. Couldn’t see (boom boom) anything more exciting than ‘bensagart’ (sic). So ‘bansagart’ it is, I suppose.

[Héilics Órbhuí]

I tend to think that unless you’re specifically talking about a pagan priestess, bansagart is probably the better choice these days. But that’s just me.

[Séril Báicéir]

That’s a good distinction. I am trying to mean a pagan priestess, so that’s good that I can now tell bandraoi from bansagart. 🙂

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