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bardic

[bahrd]

Origin

noun

(formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.

one of an ancient Celtic order of composers and reciters of poetry.

any poet.

the bard, William Shakespeare.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Celtic; compare Irish, Scots Gaelic bard, Welsh bardd, Breton barz < Indo-European *g^wrs-do-s singer, akin to Albanian grisha (I) invited (to a wedding)

Related forms

bard·ic, adjective

bard·ish, bard·like, adjective

bard·ship, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Bardic is always a great word to know.

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a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

bard¹ (bɑːd)

—n
1.	a. (formerly) one of an ancient Celtic order of poets who recited verses about the exploits, often legendary, of their tribes
	b. (in modern times) a poet who wins a verse competition at a Welsh eisteddfod
2.	archaic, literary or any poet, esp one who writes lyric or heroic verse or is of national importance

[C14: from Scottish Gaelic; related to Welsh bardd]

'bardic¹

—*adj*

'bardism¹

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

bard

mid-15c., from Scottish, from O.Celt. bardos "poet, singer," from PIE base *gwer- "to lift up the voice, praise." In historical times, a term of contempt among the Scots (who considered them itinerant troublemakers), but one of great respect among the Welsh.

EXPAND

"All vagabundis, fulis, bardis, scudlaris, and siclike idill pepill, sall be brint on the cheek." [local Scottish ordinance, c.1500]

Subsequently idealized by Scott in the more ancient sense of "lyric poet, singer." Poetic use of the word in English is from Gk. bardos, L. bardus, both from Gaulish. Bardolatry "worship of Shakespeare (the 'Bard of Avon')" first recorded 1901.

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"We cannot escape the impression that the Muse has stooped a little in her flight, when we come to the literature of civilized eras.... The bard has in a great measure lost the dignity and sacredness of his office. Formerly he was called a seer, but now it is thought that one man sees as much as another. He has no longer the bardic rage, and only conceives the deed, which he formerly stood ready to perform. Hosts of warriors earnest for battle could not mistake nor dispense with the ancient bard. His lays were heard in the pauses of the fight. There was no danger of his being overlooked by his contemporaries. But now the hero and the bard are of different professions. When we come to the pleasant English verse, the storms have all cleared away, and it will never thunder and lighten more. The poet has come within doors, and exchanged the forest and crag for the fireside, the hut of the Gael, and Stonehenge, with its circles of stones, for the house of the Englishman. No hero stands at the door prepared to break forth into song or heroic action, but a homely Englishman, who cultivates the art of poetry. We see the comfortable fireside, and hear the crackling fagots, all in verse."

-Henry David Thoreau

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