Banshies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Spirits in Irish folklore believed to be omens of death, often depicted as wailing female ghosts whose cries foretell misfortune or demise
2. Supernatural female apparitions known in Celtic mythology for their mournful cries signaling impending death within a family or community
3. Phantom entities from traditional Irish legend portrayed as sorrowful women whose loud lamentations warn of approaching death or tragedy

Etymology: "Banshies" is the plural of "banshie," a variant spelling of "banshee," the wailing female spirit of Irish folklore whose cry was believed to foretell a death in a household. The plural form simply adds an "s" to that spelling, so it names more than one of these spirits at a time. The word itself comes from Irish "bean sídhe," meaning "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman," with "bean" meaning woman and "sídhe" referring to the fairy mounds that were thought to be the dwellings of the otherworld folk. The spelling "banshie" is one of several English renderings of the Irish term, and it sits alongside the more common "banshee" in print.

Synonyms: banshees