Ossian

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A figure traditionally regarded as a Gaelic poet whose supposed ancient epic poems influenced Romantic literature and culture; a character symbolizing the revival of Celtic folklore and bardic tradition
2. An emblematic persona attributed to a collection of epic verse reputedly unearthed from Scottish and Irish oral traditions, reflecting early Celtic heroic themes and mythic narrative style
3. A legendary poetic voice credited with composing ancient epic ballads that inspired 18th-century revival of interest in Celtic heritage and myth, often associated with romantic nationalism and literary mythmaking

Etymology: Ossian is the anglicised form of Oisín, a name borrowed from Irish. Its meaning in the original language is "little deer," since it is a diminutive of "os," the Irish word for deer. In Irish legend Oisín is the son of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill, a figure who lived on into a long afterlife in the oral tales of Ireland and Scotland. The name became famous in English because of James Macpherson, a Scottish writer who published a series of poems in the 1760s presenting them as translations of ancient verse by this bard. Macpherson's claim that the texts were authentic works of a third-century poet gave the name a new life, and the persona was soon treated as a symbol of primitive, heroic Celtic song. Scholars later argued that Macpherson had largely composed the material himself, drawing on Gaelic sources but reshaping them heavily. The adjective now describes anything in that mythic, sweeping style: the cloudy, melancholy heroism that Macpherson's readers came to associate with the Celtic past.

Synonyms: epic, bardic, poetic, mythic, legendary