From: Rick McCallister
Message: 52181
Date: 2008-02-02
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Kishore patnaik"____________________________________________________________________________________
> <kishorepatnaik09@...> wrote:
>
> > The word Druh has a very special connotation.
>
> > It means violation or molestation of (an
> established) Order.
>
> > Interestingly, the word Druh also has a meaning
> priest, like in
> > Asuradruh (Sage Sukra) from which the word Druid
> (the Celtic priest)
> > seems to have been derived.
>
> Monier-Williams translates 'asuradruh' as 'enemy of
> the asuras', which
> seems a much simpler explanation.
>
> The PIE root of _druh_ is *dHreugH (cf. Sanskrit
> future
> _dHro:ks.yati_), and it seems very odd for the velar
> to have dropped
> from the 'Druid' word - Latin _druidae_, _druides_ <
> Gaulish
> _druides_, with Irish also evidencing the second
> /d/. (Welsh
> _derwyddon_ 'druids' derives from Celtic *derwijes.)
> The usually
> suggested etymologies for 'druid' are from *derwos
> 'true' (so =
> 'soothsayer') and from the 'tree' word (PIE *deru or
> similar), which
> often has the meaning 'oak'. (It is also suggested
> that these two
> roots are themselves etymologically related.)
>
> Richard.
>
>