# Celtic

/ˈkɛɫtɪk/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/celtic
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. relating to people or culture

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to the people, history, or culture of places like Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

For teachers: pertaining to the Celts or their culture, particularly in the context of the British Isles and Western Europe.

- The museum has a beautiful collection of ancient Celtic jewellery.
- Scholars continue to debate the extent of Celtic cultural influence across mainland Europe during the Iron Age.

Usage: Often capitalized in all contexts.

Teaching tip: Note that the pronunciation varies: usually /kɛltɪk/ for history and language, but /sɛltɪk/ for specific sports teams like the Boston Celtics or Celtic FC.

### 2. the language group

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

a group of languages that includes Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Welsh.

For teachers: a branch of the Indo-European language family, including Goidelic and Brittonic sub-groups.

- She decided to study Celtic to better understand her family's history in Wales.
- The phonology of Celtic differs significantly from the Germanic languages that eventually surrounded it.

Usage: Usually treated as an uncountable noun when referring to the language family.

Teaching tip: In modern linguistics, it is more common to say 'the Celtic languages' than just 'Celtic'.

### 3. sports teams

noun · CEFR B2

a name used by several famous sports teams, especially in Glasgow and Boston.

For teachers: a proper noun designating specific athletic organisations, most notably Celtic F.C. and the Boston Celtics.

- He has been a loyal fan of Celtic since he was a young boy.
- The rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is one of the most intense and storied in professional football.

Usage: In this context, it is almost always pronounced with a soft 's' sound.

Teaching tip: When referring to the Boston basketball team, the plural 'Celtics' is used; for the Glasgow football club, the singular 'Celtic' is standard.

## Examples

- She is studying the history of the Celtic languages.
- Many modern place names in England have their roots in Celtic rather than Old English or Latin.
- Scholars often distinguish between the Continental Celtic of ancient Gaul and the Insular Celtic that survived and evolved in the British Isles and Brittany.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.