Nemeton
/ˈnɛmɪtɒn/noun
A sacred grove, shrine, or sanctuary among ancient Celtic peoples.
Did you know?The Celtic goddess Nemetona was associated with these sacred spaces, and the Roman writer Lucan described a grove in Gaul where worshippers performed fearful rites.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*nem-
“To assign, allot, or set apart; a root later associated with sacred ordering and consecration.”
Proto-Celtic
Proto-Celtic
*nemeton
“A sacred or set-apart place, especially a grove or sanctuary.”
Ancient Gaul
Gaulish
nemeton
“A sacred precinct or grove, attested in place names and inscriptions across the Celtic world.”
1st Century BCE
Latin
nemeton
“A Celtic sanctuary or grove, mentioned in Roman accounts of Gaulish religious sites.”
Early Medieval Period
Old Irish
nemed
“A sacred place, sanctuary, or holy site.”
19th Century
English
nemeton
“A scholarly English borrowing used by historians and archaeologists for a Celtic sacred site.”