vates

Meaning

Noun

• A poet or bard who is divinely inspired.

Origin

• From Latin vātēs, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂t- ("excited, possessed"); cognate with Proto-Celtic *wātis ("seer") (Gaulish ουατεις, Old Irish fáith, Welsh gwawd) and Proto-Germanic *wōdaz ("mad") (Old English wōd ("mad, frenzied"), Gothic 𐍅𐍉𐌳𐍃 ("possessed, mad"), Old High German wuot ("mad, madness"). More at wood and wode.